BSS-05 Farmers can reap more profits cultivating LBR potato: Experts

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BSS-05

PROFIT-LBR-POTATO (with picture)

Farmers can reap more profits cultivating LBR potato: Experts

RANGPUR, Jan 21, 2018 (BSS) – Agriculture experts at a farmers’ field day
on Saturday afternoon said the farmers could reap more profits through
expanded cultivation of Late Blight Resistant (LBR) variety potatoes.

The regional agriculture research centre of Bangladesh Agriculture Research
Institute (BARI) organised the event on its Burirhat office premises here to
demonstrate cultivation of LBR variety ‘Carolus’ and ‘Alouette’ potatoes.

The main objective of arranging the programme was to disseminate results
achieved from three-year long research activities aimed at innovating and
selecting late blight disease resistant potatoes and popularising those among
farmers for cultivation.

The field day programme was followed by a discussion on the under- research
LBR variety potatoes.

Chief Scientific Officer of Burirhat Agriculture Research Centre Md Rais
Uddin Chowdhury presided over the event participated by farmers, officials,
researchers, scientists and experts of different agriculture related
organisations.

Former Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council
Agriculturist Dr Md Jalal Uddin attended the occasion to observe the growing
LBR variety ‘Carolus’ and ‘Alouette’ potatoes as the chief guest.

Potato researcher and Principal Scientific Officer at Burirhat Regional
Agriculture Research Centre Dr Ashish Kumar Saha and Regional Farm
Broadcasting Officer of Agriculture Information Service Abu Sayem addressed
as special guests.

Dr Saha said late blight disease reduces potato production by 30 percent
annually as the main barrier to potato cultivation and the farmers are being
compelled to indiscriminate use of the costly pesticides and insecticides for
producing the crop.

“The produced potatoes are becoming poisonous to cause harms to human
health and research is being conducted continuously to innovate more
effective LBR variety potatoes those will require no pesticides and increase
potato production,” he said.

He said the farmers are producing 6 tonnes of potato per hectare
cultivating traditional varieties and up to 12 tonnes using quality seed with
better managements while the LBR varieties of ‘Carolus’ and ‘Alouette’
produce 35 tonnes potato per hectare.

“If the ‘Carolus’ and ‘Alouette’ LBR varieties of potatoes are released for
expanded cultivation, the nation will not need to import pesticides worth
Taka 500-crore annually side by side with saving huge foreign exchange as
well as environment,” Ashish said.

The chief guest stressed releasing ‘Carolus’ and ‘Alouette’ LBR varieties
of potatoes having better shape, size, colour and taste to increase potato
production at reduced costs.

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