BARISHAL, Apr 21: Potato growers in Barishal agriculture zone have become frustrated because of market price fall in their produce.
According to field ources, this year's potato yielding was affected by rain. Growers can't sell potato at higher than Tk 7-10 per kilogram (kg).
According to sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE)-Barishal agriculture zone, this season, potato was cultivated on about 12,000 hectares (ha) of land against year's 11,277 ha.
This season, about 17 lakh metric tons (mt) of vegetables were produced in Barishal. General people are in a relief as they can purchase vegetables at cheaper prices.
Rich and high-yielding potato seeds were developed by Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI). These are BARI Potato-1(Heera), BARI Potato-4 (Ailsa), BARI-7 (Diamond), BARI-8(Cardinal), BARI-11(Chamak), BARI-12 (Dhira), BARI-13 (Granula), BARI-15 (Binela), BARI TPS-1 and 2.
According to BARI scientists, it is possible to get per ha yielding of 30mt by cultivating these species.
According to DAE sources, in 2010-11 agriculture year, potato was cultivated on 10,605 ha of land against the target of 10,952 ha. In 2011-12, the total potato production was 2.36 mt against the target of 1.91 mt.
This year, potato was cultivated on about 12,000 ha of land against the target of 11,357 ha. The production has been about three lakh tonnes.
