Nazmul Hossain, Thakurgaon Correspondent: From a distance, it looks like an orange bag, the weight is not very much, only three and a half kilograms. When I got closer, I saw some school students and some parents weighing potato packets in small yellow bags using a digital scale. As soon as I asked, some of them replied that these are sent to different countries of the world. I was saying
The success story of Ranishankail in Thakurgaon, an agriculturally rich district in the north. As usual, this year too, farmers in this upazila have cultivated various varieties of potatoes including Sagita, Sunshine, Ganula, Stick (red) on several thousand hectares of land. However,
Potato farmers in this region are in danger by cultivating more potatoes than the demand. Although those who cultivated potatoes in advance were able to market them with joy, those who cultivated them late seem to be in endless trouble. The reason is that due to the current decline in potato prices in the market, they are having to sell potatoes at half the cost of production. However, the good news for farmers is that in this situation, the potato farmers of the upazila have got the opportunity to recover some of the losses as they have the opportunity to export potatoes to Malaysia, Nepal, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. This year, as the price of potatoes has dropped in the off-season, many farmers spent lakhs of taka on cultivating potatoes with the hope that they would get the money back. Now, many are in extreme anxiety about getting their money back.
Farmers say that if the government allows Bangladeshi potatoes to be exported to different countries of the world on a larger scale every year, only then will the farmers see profits along with reducing losses. Potato farmer Dulal Hossain said that those who were able to cultivate potatoes with high risks in advance have succeeded this time. The remaining farmers are extremely worried, many are saying that it is impossible to sell the potatoes with the money they have purchased and planted seeds. Therefore, the government should take initiatives to export potatoes abroad on a larger scale.
Potato traders Sirajul Islam and Zakirul Islam of Kathaldangi Bazar said, "We go around different areas to find potatoes that are suitable for export abroad. Then we pick them up from the fields with skilled workers, clean them well, weigh them and pack them. However, these potatoes are sent in different ways to different countries. For example, for export to Malaysia, each packet is 3.5 kg, and depending on demand, packets are also made in 4 and 8 kg. However, there are different arrangements for Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Sri Lanka. Trader Sirajul Islam also said that the labor cost of packing potatoes in 3.5 kg bags of 50 kg each costs 65/70 taka.
However, if the workers can produce these packets in the field, the cost will be 40/50 taka per bag. Then both farmers and traders will benefit from this. School students and women members of the Sathi Himagar area of Dakshin Sandhyari village of Nanduar union of Ranishankail upazila are working to produce potato packets for export abroad. Some of them are sorting and separating the potatoes below 90 grams that are spoiled and unfit for export, while some are filling the selected large and good quality potatoes in packets and giving them the correct weight. He also said that from here, the potatoes are processed and sent to different areas including Dhaka, Chittagong. From there, the dealers export them in containers to different countries.
Potato workers Hridoy Chandra Roy, Ayan Chandra Roy, Biswajit and Sanjib Roy said that besides studying, we pack potatoes with our friends at night to send them abroad. This helps us earn money for our studies as well as our pocket money. On the other hand, Kamala Rani and Jamuna Bala said that along with the men in the family, we women also pick potatoes and the money we earn is used for the family and provides an opportunity for women to earn extra income.
Shahidul Islam, agricultural officer of Ranishankail Upazila, said that last season, 3,250 hectares of land were used for cultivation of various varieties of potatoes in this upazila, but in the current season, farmers have cultivated various varieties of potatoes on 4,290 hectares of land, exceeding the target. However, although farmers received the price of potatoes at the beginning of the season, the price is currently lower. We have talked to dealers from different areas who export potatoes abroad from the agricultural office, and they are already agreeing to take potatoes. If we can export potatoes abroad through dealers, then farmers will be able to recover a lot of losses, I hope.
