Dinajpur potato farmers has begun harvesting early‐variety potatoes across the district, but low prices disappoint them despite strong demand in markets.
Many farmers also reported slightly reduced yields, which made them uncertain about their overall profits.
Currently, wholesalers are buying early potatoes directly from fields at Tk62–65 per kg depending on the variety.
Abed Ali, a farmer from Dinajpur Sadar, said he sold potatoes from his two bighas of land at Tk68 per kg. Meanwhile, another farmer, Hamid, of Phulbari sold his ‘courage’ variety for Tk56 per kg.
Farmers also pointed out that at the beginning of last season, wholesalers paid Tk85–95 per kg while the market price was around Tk80 per kg. This year, lower purchase rates and crop losses caused by unfavourable weather have left many farmers in distress.
Several said they are hoping to recover their costs rather than make a profit.
Traders in the town’s markets said early potatoes initially sold for Tk120 per kg this season, but the price has now fallen to Tk80 per kg.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, potatoes have been cultivated on 48,000 hectares of lands across Dinajpur this year, including 11,000 hectares for early varieties.
Md Anisuzzaman, additional deputy director (crops) of the DAE, said Dinajpur’s soil and climate are highly favourable for potato cultivation, which is why more farmers take it up each year. But early rains caused waterlogging in parts of the district, affecting yields of early‐season potatoes.
He said the bulk of the early harvest will be ready after 15 December.
With harvesting underway, potato traders from Dhaka and other regions have arrived in Dinajpur to purchase the new crop directly from fields.
They are buying at Tk62–65 per kg, bagging the potatoes on site and loading them onto trucks, which is bound for different areas across the country.
A visit to local fields on a foggy morning found women labourers actively digging, sorting, weighing and bagging potatoes. Traders were seen paying farmers on the spot before transporting the produce.
Farmers said they plan to plant maize on the same land once the early potatoes are harvested.
According to agricultural officials, such crop rotation improves soil fertility and has encouraged more farmers to adopt the practice as potato cultivation continues to grow in popularity.
