Story: A good news: Bogra potatoes are being exported abroad

Even a few years ago, if the yield of potatoes was high, there would be no place for farmers to keep. There was no place to keep cold store. As a result, many potatoes would rot. Prices would have gone lower. Farmers were losing money. This is not just the case with potatoes. It also happened with other vegetables, milk etc.

Now it is known that Bogra potatoes are going abroad. This time 25,000 metric tons of non-toxic potatoes are being exported from the greater Bogra region to different countries including Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Dubai. Among them, Messrs Sagar Traders of Shibganj upazila of Bogra alone is exporting 11,200 metric tons of potatoes abroad. Apart from potatoes, the company is also exporting various non-toxic vegetables abroad. Besides, another exporter from Kalai upazila of Joypurhat is exporting 5,000 metric tons of potatoes. Several exporters are exporting from Shibganj, Kalai and Khetlal.

According to the Bogra District Agricultural Extension Department, 12 lakh metric tons of potatoes have been cultivated in 58,500 hectares of land in Bogra district this season. Potato storage capacity in 36 cold storages of the district is 3 lakh 17 thousand tons. Farmers are in trouble every year with the remaining 9 lakh metric tons of potatoes. Potatoes and various vegetables have been exported abroad for almost a decade through some local exporters in Shibganj upazila. Farmers are becoming more optimistic as the volume of exports is increasing day by day.

Recently, the wholesale level, Desi pakri potatoes are being purchased at Tk 550 per mound, Granula at Rs. 350 and Astric at Tk 470 for export.

Sagar Hossain Fakir, managing director of Sagar Traders, said that Maswa Agro Limited and Byron Agro Combine Limited, a private exporter, have been sending Granula, Asteric, Desi pakri and other varieties of potatoes to Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka since January this year. So far he has sent 5,600 metric tons of potatoes from Shibganj upazila of Bogra. This year, he has signed agreements with several exporters from Dhaka and Chittagong for the export of 11,200 metric tonnes of potatoes. Last season, it exported 12,300 metric tons of potatoes to Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka alone. Besides, he has been exporting cauliflower, cabbage and various vegetables abroad since 2014.

The exporter further said that in addition to potatoes and vegetables, he has imported 140 tonnes of improved varieties of seeds including Santana, Alta, Donata, Sunshine, Kumurika, A-Seven, Akala, Fresh from Holland this time to capture the export market abroad. Several other exporters of this upazila are exporting potatoes abroad. These potatoes are being used as raw material for various products including chips in foreign factories.

Md. Dulal Hossain, Deputy Director, Bogra Agriculture Marketing Department, said that potatoes and vegetables have been exported from Bogra for several years now. However, the Department of Agriculture does not have information on the amount of agricultural products being exported annually.

However, another source in the agriculture department said that at least 25,000 tonnes of potatoes are being exported from the greater Bogra region this season. The export value of these potatoes is Tk 62.5 crore. Demand for this specialty has grown significantly as a result of recent corporate scandals. The possibility of potato export is increasing day by day.

At one time, various vegetables were lying on the roadside at the end of the season. If farmers pick vegetables from the fields and bring them to the local wholesale market, they do not get the cost of labour, not even the cost of transportation. As a result, vegetables had to be thrown on the road. I have seen such incidents in Mahastan Bazaar of Bogra. The same thing happens with cow's milk. This is due to lack of proper marketing strategy. But now with the opportunity to export abroad, the farmers have got relief from that situation. Besides, if more value-added fields are created within the country, then farmers will benefit. However, analysts believe that the government as well as the private sector should come forward for that.

-Editorial