Rangpur expects record potato production this season

Farmers and officials are expecting an all-time record production of potato as its farming target has already been exceeded by 16.35% in the Rangpur agricultural region and sowing of seeds still continues.

Meanwhile, early varieties of potato have already appeared in local markets with lucrative prices making farmers in all five districts of the region happy this time.

The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) officials said a target of producing an all-time record 26,99,197 tonnes of potato has been fixed from cultivating the crop on 1,01,576 hectares of land for the region during this Rabi season.

 "Farmers have already brought 1,18,183 hectares of land, higher by 16,607 hectares or 16.35 percent against the fixed farming target, under potato cultivation by Thursday," said DAE's Additional Director for Rangpur region Md Obaidur Rahman Mondal.

Sowing of potato seed will continue till January next both in the mainland and char areas in all five districts-- Rangpur, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Kurigram and Lalmonirhat-- in the region.

Meanwhile, farmers are continuing to harvest early varieties of potato they had cultivated after harvesting short duration Aman rice on the same land since late October and early November last.

"Farmers have already harvested their cultivated early varieties of potatoes on 7,241 hectares of land and produced 97,797 tonnes of the tuber crop at an excellent average yield rate of 13.51 tonnes per hectare of land," Rahman said.

Farmers are showing more interest in farming potatoes after getting special assistance from the interim government in terms of seed and fertilisers free of cost and repeated bumper output every year in recent times.

The DAE, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute and related organisations provided quality potato seeds and assistance to farmers to make the potato farming programme successful.

"Officials and experts of the DAE and other related organisations are providing latest technologies to farmers in properly nursing their tender potato plants to get better yield even in the face of the sweeping cold wave over the whole region," Obaidur Rahman said.

Talking to BSS, farmers Alfaz Hossain, Nurunnabi Khan, Arman Hossain and Solaiman Ali of different villages in Rangpur said they are earning superb profits from harvesting and selling early variety potatoes.

"After harvesting early varieties of potatoes, we are preparing to cultivate Boro rice on the same land," said farmer Manik Mian of Darshona village in Rangpur Sadar and expressed satisfaction over the present market price of early varieties of potatoes.

Vegetable trader at Rangpur City Bazar Kitchen Market Hafizur Rahman today said newly-harvested potatoes are presently being sold at rates between Tk40 and Tk65 per kilogram in retail markets depending on qualities and varieties.

 "The wholesalers are currently selling the newly-harvested potatoes at rates between Tk35 and Tk60 per kg to retailers after purchasing the same from middlemen traders and farmers at rates between Tk25 and 55 per kg," he added.