Export helps potato farmers in Northern districts of Bangladesh

Export of potato from the northern districts of Bangladesh has generated a ray of hope for the farmers and traders which, if continues till June, may help them break even.

Traders have set a target to export about 2 lakh tonnes of potato from the northern districts. About 50,000 tonnes have been exported in the last two months, while the rest will be shipped in phases.

Meanwhile, the export has raised the prices of potato in the northern markets.

About 30 agro companies, including Agri Concern, BD Food Ltd and Sinha Agro Ltd, are exporting potato from the northern districts to Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Russia at rates from Tk 13,000 to Tk 27,500 per tonne, said exporters.

The exporters are buying potato at Tk 7-Tk 10 per kg directly from the farmers in the fields to avoid middlemen, said Sahanuzzaman Sanu, a field officer of Agri Concern.

A big potato farmer, Mostafizar Rahman of Mahiganj in Rangpur, said exports of potato have influenced the market positively to a limited extent;but the farmers have been waiting for months to be able to cover up their losses.

"If the export continues round the year, the farmers may reach the break-even point by June-July when the crop stacked outside the cold storages is expected to be used up,"he said.