Joypurhat potato growers face major losses amid price fall

 
Thousands of potato farmers and traders of Joypurhat district are facing severe financial losses this season due to a drastic fall in market prices, rising production costs, and a recent hike in cold storage rental fees.

Hoping for more profit, these stockpiled potatoes have now become a thorn in the side of farmers and traders. Last year, the price of a sack of potatoes in the cold storage was Tk. 3000-3200 taka, but this time the same potatoes are being sold for Tk. 550-600 per sack. Due to this, potato farmers are thinking of reducing potato cultivation this time. They also said that traders have sought government intervention regarding potatoes.

Azizul Haque, a potato farmer from Aora village in Kalai upazila of the district, said, "Last year, I cultivated potatoes on about 8 bighas of land, from which I kept 300 sacks of potatoes in the cold storage. I came to sell those potatoes, but there are no buyers, no one is buying. After a lot of difficulty, I sold 20 sacks and got only Tk. 1500, excluding the cold storage rent."

Farmer Noor Islam of Battali village in Khetlal upazila of the district said, "I have kept 50 bags of potatoes in the cold storage. I thought I would sell some potatoes and buy fertilizer and seeds to cultivate new potatoes this season. But I see there is no price, selling a sack of potatoes is getting Tk. 90-100 taka."

Along with farmers, traders have also been suffering losses by hoarding potatoes. Some had taken loans from banks or NGOs, while others had kept potatoes in the cold storage, dreaming of making a profit by selling cows and goats. Now their situation is like sitting on that same path.

Atwar Rahman, a seasonal potato trader of 'M Israt Cold Storage', said, "I had kept 800 bags of potatoes, and the total cost per sack was 1450-1500 taka." Now, per sack potatoes is selling at Tk. 550-600."

Sadiqul Islam, Deputy Director of the Joypurhat District Agricultural Extension Department, said, "The price of potatoes is lower this year as potato cultivation and yield were higher last year compared to previous years. The target price of potatoes has been reduced this time." District Agricultural Marketing Officer Mehedi Hasan said, "I didn't know anything about the government's purchase of potatoes at the price of Tk 22 per kg fixed by the Ministry of Commerce." 

"We have not received any notice from the higher authorities in this regard so far", he added. 

The planting of new potatoes will start in just a week. However, there is still more than 1 lakh metric tons of potatoes in the cold storage. In this case, potato traders and potato farmers expect the government to take a quick decision on potatoes.