ZCZC
BSS-02
POTATO-FARMING (with picture)
Growers eye good potato yield in Rajshahi region
RAJSHAHI, Jan 21, 2018 (BSS)-Farmers and others concerned are hopeful about
a good potato yield in the region in the current season as overall climatic
condition remains favorable for the farming since its initial stage.
With the hope of making profit like the previous season, the farmers in the
have cultivated potato on more lands than the target fixed by the Department
of Agriculture Extension (DAE) everywhere in eight districts under the
division.
Golam Rasul, a farmer of Darusha village under Paba Upazila, said both
acreage and yield were boosted up in the wake of a favorable climatic
condition and availability of standard seed in the region.
This season, he along with his sons cultivated potato on around 150 bighas
of land. He said, “We are very much optimistic about our outcomes as the
weather was absolutely supportive”.
Rasul further said there is a need of enhancing the number of cold storages
for betterment of the potato growers. Potato farming has now been expanded to
the dried lands in the vast Barind tract with massive promotion of commercial
farming as a result of irrigation facilities promoted by the Barind
Multipurpose Development Authorities (BMDA).
Mozur-E-Mawla, Upazila Agriculture Officer, said the farmers are expecting
a better yield as there was no major natural calamity that can damage its
outputs.
However, the cold wave that sweeping the region for the last couple of days
has made the potato growers apprehensive about their farming.
Most of the growers’ harvested better yields of potato in last three to
four years and they also obtained expected sale proceeds in the harvesting
stage.
“I had sold out an 85-kg potato bag at Taka 800 to 850 in previous season,
said Ziarul Haque, a farmer of Baya village.
Mustafizur Rahman, additional director of DAE, said the officials, experts
and other organisations concerned have been providing necessary suggestions
to the farmers to face the cold situation so that the growing potato fields
are not affected by late blight disease.
Currently, early variety potato has appeared in the local markets in plenty
with more or less better prices benefiting the growers in the region, markets
sources said.
Many of the farmers said potato farming could become more profitable if
adequate preservation facilities were ensured and potato-based agro-
industries are set up besides enhancing exports.
BSS/AH/AKM 1040 hrs