JALDHAKA, NILPHAMARI, Feb 13: Potatoes of the upazila are being exported to different countries including Malaysia. About 90 metric tons of potatoes have been exported from this upazila in recent times.
The potatoes that are exported to different countries across the borders of the country are used as raw material by various foreign chips companies.
A recent visit to different areas of the upazila found potato farmers and traders heaving a sigh of relief regarding the price of potatoes as some varieties of potatoes including Sunshine, Santana, Queen Annie, Seven, and Kumarika are going abroad.
he farmers of the upazila are happy that their potatoes are being exported abroad.
Abdul Mannan, a farmer of Tengonmari Battala area of Khutamara Union of the upazila, said that the cost of potato cultivation is not being raised this time. At present wholesalers are buying potatoes from the land at the rate of TK 10 to 12 per kg. They are seeing a ray of hope as there is an opportunity to export potatoes abroad.
According to sources at the Upazila Agriculture Office, potatoes have been cultivated on 3,075 hectares of land in Jaldhaka. The production target has been set at 71,226 metric tons. About five to six thousand metric tons of potatoes can be exported abroad.
Shahadat Hossain Saju, junior manager of the exporting company Agrotech BD, said, "We are buying potatoes from farmers at the price of Tk 12-13 per kg from this upazila. We hope that if the demand increases, the potato farmers will get more prices."
He also said that apart from potato, they export various crops including cabbage and sweet pumpkin from this region. For the convenience of the farmers, they pick up potatoes from the field and load them in cars.
In this regard, Upazila Agriculture Officer Sumon Ahmed said, due to the production of potatoes more than the demand, the price of potatoes has fallen in the market.
The good news for the potato farmers is that the potatoes of this region are being exported to foreign fields.
Farmers can change their fortunes with profits due to the creation of opportunities to export sweet pumpkins, cabbages along with potatoes.
