RANGPUR, Dec 30: A super bumper potato production is likely as the farmers have exceeded the fixed cultivation target by 8.52 per cent in Rangpur agriculture region this season.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources, a target of producing 18.38 lakh tons of potato has been fixed from 91,921 hectares of land in all five districts under the region during this current 2016-2017 Rabi season.
However, the farmers have cultivated the crop in over 99,752 hectares of land, which is more than 7,831 hectares or 8.52 per cent than the fixed target of brining 91,921 hectares of land under potato cultivation in the region.
Talking with this correspondent on Friday, Horticulture specialist of the DAE Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam said that the farmers completed sowing of potato seed and tender plants of the crop were growing superbly amid favourable climatic conditions.
"The farmers are also now happy getting lucrative market price of their newly harvested early variety of potatoes between Taka 20 and 30 per kilogram depending on varieties in the beginning of the season," he said.
Farmers Echhahaq Ali, Aiyub Ali and Noor Hossain of Kathihara and Mominpur village in Rangpur said that they cultivated early variety potatoes after harvesting short duration Aman rice to harvest and sell those at fair price.
Regional Additional Director of DAE Shah Alam said that the DAE and other agriculture related departments and organisations provided quality potato seed and other inputs to farmers to make potato cultivation programme successful.
"At the same time, officials and experts of the agriculture-related organisations have been providing necessary suggestions and technologies to the farmers in properly nursing their potato fields facing the current cold wave situation," he added.
President of Rangpur Chamber Abul Kashem suggested for setting up of adequate preservation facilities and potato-based agriculture industries side by side with enhancing exports to make potato cultivation more profitable for the farmers.
