Bangladesh recorded a bumper potato harvest this year with 1.12 crore tonnes produced, and speakers at the Potato Festival urged quick steps to protect growers from heavy losses. The harvest is about 22 lakh tonnes more than the country needs, officials said, and that extra stock has pushed prices down so farmers now often sell at rates below their cost. At the festival in Bashundhara, agriculture adviser Md Jahangir Alam asked cold storage owners to keep older stocks for a little longer so prices can rise when new potatoes come to market in about two weeks. He noted that the cost to grow a kilo of potato this year ranges from Tk 14 to Tk 17, and that adding storage, transport and other costs pushes the price at the cold storage gate to Tk 20 to Tk 25. Despite those costs, many farmers are selling at Tk 8 to Tk 16 per kilogram and suffering losses. The adviser urged authorities and industry groups to find ways to cut production costs and support fair pricing. Speakers at the fair also pointed to a long term gap in processing: only about two percent of potatoes are processed in Bangladesh, while other countries process around seven percent. They said that growing local processing could raise farmers’ incomes, extend shelf life, and open export chances. The festival gathered 66 local and international organisations, about 500 farmers, cold chain firms, machinery makers and food processors to show new storage technologies, value addition ideas and methods to increase domestic use. Exhibitors ran B2B meetings and expert panels that proposed steps such as choosing processing-friendly potato varieties, improving cold chain systems, and promoting investment in local factories that turn raw potatoes into fries, chips and other goods. A plan to honour ten exemplary farmers also highlighted good practices in farming and storage. Delegates said better coordination between farmers, millers, buyers and the government would help smooth seasonal supply swings and prevent waste. International guests and trade partners took part in discussions about export rules, quality standards and how to match crops to overseas demand. Organisers said the festival will forward panel recommendations to relevant ministries so policy makers can act on pragmatic ideas. Farmers at the event welcomed training offers and technical advice and many expressed hope that more processing and smarter storage will turn the current surplus into steady income. The overall message was positive and practical: use better storage, speed up processing, support farmers with fair prices and make smart plans so this record harvest strengthens livelihoods and builds new business chances across the potato value chain. Stakeholders promised follow-up meetings, funding options and pilot projects to test these ideas quickly and fairly. Next season.
