Photo: BSS

RANGPUR, Dec 26, 2025 (BSS) - Potato farmers in the Rangpur agricultural region have already exceeded the potato cultivation target by one percent as sowing continues this season with the expectation of an all-time record yield.

Meanwhile, early varieties of potato have started to appear in local markets in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts of the region. Due to increased demand, the newly harvested vegetable is selling at comparatively higher prices, yielding farmers good profits.

Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said an all-time record target of producing 2,519,008 tonnes of potatoes from 101,700 hectares of land has been fixed for the region during the current Rabi season.

"Farmers have already brought 105,600 hectares of land, higher by one percent against the fixed farming target, under potato cultivation," Additional Director of the DAE's Rangpur region, Agriculturist Md Shirajul Islam, told BSS.

Sowing of potato seeds will continue till January next both in the mainland and char areas of all five districts in the region.

Meanwhile, farmers are continuing to harvest early varieties of potatoes cultivated after harvesting short-duration Aman rice on the same land since late October and early November last.

"Farmers have already harvested early varieties of potatoes from 6,367 hectares of land and produced 89,318 tonnes of the tuber crop at an excellent average yield of 14.03 tonnes per hectare," he said.

Farmers are showing more interest in potato cultivation both in the mainland and char areas after receiving special incentives and assistance from the interim government and due to repeated bumper outputs every year.

The DAE, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute and related agri-organizations are providing quality potato seeds and assistance to farmers to make the potato farming programme a success.

"Officials of the DAE and other related organizations are providing the latest technologies to farmers for proper nursing of potato fields to ensure better yields even in the face of the sweeping cold wave across the region this season," Islam added.

Deputy Director of the DAE's Burirhat Horticulture Centre in Rangpur, Agriculturist Dr Md Abu Sayem, said farmers are cultivating potatoes with greater enthusiasm after receiving government assistance.

"Officials of the DAE and other agriculture-related organizations are providing the latest technologies to farmers for proper sowing of potato seeds, agronomic management and nursing of tender potato plants to achieve maximum yield," he said.

Farmers Nur Mohammad, Bulbul Hossain, Jahangir Alam and Anwar Hossain of different villages in Rangpur said they are earning excellent profits from harvesting early varieties of potatoes cultivated after harvesting short-duration Aman rice.

"After harvesting early varieties of potatoes, we are preparing for Boro rice cultivation on the same land," said farmer Isahaque Ali of village Kathihara in Rangpur Sadar, expressing satisfaction over the market prices of early-harvested potatoes.

Former president of Rangpur Chamber, Mustafa Sohrab Chowdhury Titu, emphasized the need to establish more agro-based industries for storage and export of potato products to ensure fair prices and encourage farmers to expand potato cultivation.