Potatoes costing Tk 18 to produce sold at Tk 9, farmers face huge losses

Like last year, the potato market in Rajshahi and Naogaon has crashed again. While production costs are Tk 16 to 18 per kg, farmers are being forced to sell potatoes at Tk 5 to 9 per kg. As a result, growers are facing severe losses.

Mithu Haji, a potato farmer from Paikpara village in Paba upazila, Rajshahi, has cultivated potatoes on 12 bighas of land this season. His total cost per bigha is approximately Tk 65,000 – including ploughing, seeds, land cultivation, fertiliser-pesticides, labour, irrigation and other expenses.

With an average production of 55 sacks (65 kg per sack) per bigha, total yield is 3,575 kg of potatoes. According to this calculation, production cost per kg stands at about Tk 18. However, wholesalers at Nohata market are offering Tk 8 to 9 per kg. This means a loss of nearly Tk 9 per kg.

Mithu Haji said, "I incurred losses last year too. I thought the situation would change this time. But it's worse than before."

The same scenario was observed in various markets in Paba, Tanore and Godagari upazilas of Rajshahi. Farmers allege that although retail prices in city markets are relatively higher, a 'syndicate' at the wholesale level has reduced prices using the excuse of imports. Even after waiting for hours, they are not getting fair prices.

Similar conditions were found in Naogaon's markets. Wholesale prices range from Tk 5 to 7 per kg, while production costs exceed Tk 15. Consequently, farmers cannot even recover labour costs for harvesting potatoes and transportation expenses.

Mizanur Rahman, a farmer from Patnitala, said, "Potatoes are selling at Tk 200 to 300 per maund. This doesn't even cover the cost of lifting potatoes from the field."

Idris Uddin, a farmer from Manda upazila, said, "Cold storage rent has doubled. We cannot afford to store potatoes due to low prices."

According to Naogaon District Agriculture Extension Department, potatoes have been cultivated on 21,970 hectares of land in the district this season. The production target is 474,330 tonnes. Last season, cultivation on 25,940 hectares produced 514,360 tonnes. This means cultivation area has decreased by 3,970 hectares this year.

Deputy Director Humayra Mandal said prices have fallen due to good production and increased supply in the market.

After continuous losses, many farmers are uncertain about cultivating potatoes next season. Some are shifting to other crops.

With falling prices at the producer level and relatively stable prices at the consumer level, farmers are bearing the brunt of this disparity. They demand that without ensuring fair prices and effective monitoring of market management, this crisis will not end.