RAJSHAHI, Mar 18: Potatoes have now been stings of throats to growers in the district due to poor market prices and higher fare of preserving in cold storages.
According to local sources, in this situation, growers' hands have been on their heads.
At present, per kilogram (kg) potato is selling at the field level at Tk 10-12 against the production cost of Tk 14-16. To avoid losses, growers are trying to keep their potatoes in cold storages. But this time they are counting higher fare.
Compared to last year, the storing fare has been increased by Tk 2 per kg to Tk eight.
This information was confirmed by farmers, cold storage owners and traders.
Growers said, cold storage owners are increasing storing fare yearly; growers' protest is not working. When farmers sell their potatoes, the price is poor, but the price increases when potatoes are in hands of middlemen. So, it has been difficult for growers to keep their potatoes in cold storages, they further said.
They said, the government can ensure fair prices by purchasing potatoes directly from growers, and then it will be possible to control the middlemen, and the crisis will come down.
Grower Sheikh Mobarak Hossain of Nuriakhetra Village at Mougachhi Union in Mohanpur Upazila said, he has been cultivating potato for the last 15 years; this season he has cultivated potato on 65 bighas; per bigha yielding is 100-110 maunds worth about Tk 40,000-45,000 at the rate of Tk 8-10 per kg. But his per bigha farming cost is Tk 50,000-60,000.
He is hiccupping to lift his costs by selling his produce.
According to cold storage sources, at present, there are 350 cold storages in the country having a storing capacity of 30 lakh metric tons (mt). If the fare of per kg potato is Tk 8, the total fare by growers and traders will be Tk 2,400 crore. In this situation, they are reluctant to keep potatoes in cold storages.
There are 55 cold storages in Bogura and Joypurhat with about 7.50 lakh mt capacity. After February 20, potato storing has started in cold storages. But within 10-12 days, one cold storage became filled up.
Cold storage owners said, the storing fare is fixed by Bangladesh Cold Storage Association. Due to increased cost of labour, electricity and others, the fare has been raised.
"This increase of the storing fare will impact on consumers. We have already got letter from the association. The letter said, after analysis of bank loan, electricity cost, load-shedding, employee salary, bonus, insurance cost, gas bill, repairing, maintenance and others, the potato storing expenditure stands at Tk 9.22 per kg; but despite that the fare has been fixed at Tk 8 per kg; in the last year, the bank interest rate was Tk 9-10 per cent, but this year the interest rate has been increased to 16-17 per cent."
Growers claimed, earlier potatoes would be stored on bag basis; then 70-80 kg would be kept in a bag; the per bag fare was Tk 320-350; but this year more than 50 kg cannot be kept in a bag; and, at the rate of Tk 8 per kg, the per bag fare will be Tk 400.
Grower Sheikh Nazrul Islam of Duari area in Poba Upazila said, it took Tk 300-350 as fare to store a 70kg bag in cold storage; but this year this fare has been increased to Tk 400.
Mostafa Azad Chowdhury Babu, President of Bangladesh Coldstorage Association, said, "Cold storage fare would be fixed on kg basis. But farmers would not follow it. They would keep 20-30 kg potatoes in one bag; it would benefit them; but cold storage owners would count losses. We are not agreed to continue such losses."
