RANGPUR, Jan 5, 2023 (BSS) – Farmers have already exceeded the fixed potato farming target by 4.27 percent as sowing of potato seeds continues in Rangpur agriculture region where an all-time record production of the winter crop is expected this season.
 
Meanwhile, early varieties of potato have already appeared in local markets with lucrative prices making farmers happy across the region.
 
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said an all-time record target of producing 23,39,930 tonnes of potato from 92,675 hectares of land has been fixed for the region during the current Rabi season.
 
“Farmers have already brought 96,632 hectares of land, higher by 3,957 hectares or 4.27 percent against the fixed farming target, under potato cultivation,” said Additional Director of the DAE’s Rangpur region Agriculturist Mohammad Shah Alam.
 
Sowing of potato seeds will continue till this month-end both in the mainland and char areas of all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Kurigram and Lalmonirhat districts 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 9,247 hectares of land and produced 1,52,298 tonnes of the tuber crop at an excellent average yield rate of 16.47 tonnes per hectare of land,” Alam said.
 
Farmers are showing more interest in farming potatoes both in the mainland and char areas after getting special assistance from the government and repeated bumper output every year during the last thirteen years.
 
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 program a success.
 
“Officials of the DAE and other related organizations are providing latest technologies to farmers in properly nursing their potato fields to get better yield even in the face of the sweeping cold wave over the whole region this season,” Alam added.  
 
Deputy Director (Leave Reserved) of the DAE at Khamarbari in Dhaka Agriculturist Abu Sayem said farmers are cultivating potatoes with more enthusiasm after getting assistance from the government.
 
"Officials of the DAE, other agriculture-related organisations and a number of NGOs provided the latest technologies to farmers for proper sowing of potato seeds, agronomic management and nursing tender potato plants to get maximum yield," he said.  
 
Farmers Abul Kalam, Moudud Hossain, Jahangir Alam and Rokunuzzaman of different villages in Rangpur said they are earning excellent profits from harvesting early variety potatoes cultivated after harvesting short duration Aman rice.
 
“After harvesting early varieties of potato, we are preparing their croplands for Boro rice cultivation on the same land,” said farmer Manik Mian of village Darshona in Rangpur and expressed satisfaction over market price of harvested early varieties of potatoes.
 
Rangpur Chamber President Mostafa Sohrab Chowdhury Titu stressed on establishing more agro-based industries to preserve, produce and export potato products for ensuring its fair prices to encourage farmers in further expanding potato cultivation.