(BSS) – Getting various assistance from the government and satisfactory prices last year, enterprising farmers in all five districts of the Rangpur agricultural region produced 28,56,065 tonnes of potatoes in the 2025-2026 Rabi season.

“Farmers have exceeded the set potato production target of 25,19,008 tonnes by 3,37,057 tonnes or 13.38 percent this season,” Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) of Rangpur region Krishibid Md Shirajul Islam told BSS.

Earlier, the DAE had set a target of producing 25,19,008 tonnes of potatoes from 1,01,700 hectares of land in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts of the region for the 2025-2026 Rabi season.

“Enthusiastic farmers had finally grown potatoes on 1,05,885 hectares of land, exceeding the set cultivation target by 4,185 hectares or 4.12 percent and produced 28,56,065 tonnes of potatoes with an average yield of 26.97 tonnes per hectare this time,” he said.

Earlier, farmers produced 32,30,682 tonnes of potatoes from 1,19,729 hectares of land in Rangpur agricultural region during the last 2024-205 Rabi season.

During the 2023-2024 Rabi season, farmers produced 26,29,893 tonnes of potatoes while the production of potatoes stood at 26.85-lakh tonnes during the 2022-2023 season in the region.

Last year, farmers got good prices when large quantities of potatoes were exported to Singapore, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, and several other countries at the beginning of the harvest season.

There are a total of 71 cold storage facilities in the five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari in the Rangpur region, with a total capacity of storing 7,32,572 tonnes of potatoes.

Meanwhile, 71 cold storages with a storage capacity of 7,32,572 tonnes of potatoes have almost been filled. As a result, there has been an increase in excess supply in the local market, which has led to a decline in market prices.

There is a huge demand for ‘Santa’, Diamond, ‘Kumbika Alouette’, ‘Asterisk’, Sunshine and other varieties of potatoes in various countries of several continents.

“These varieties of potatoes, cultivated using superior agricultural practices, are in huge demand in Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Malaysia and many other countries,” Krishibid Md Shirajul Islam said.

Potato trader Hafizur Rahman at Rangpur City Market said farmers are now selling each sac containing 70 kilogram of ‘Santa’, Diamond, ‘Kumarika’, ‘Cardinal’, ‘Raja’, ‘Granula’ and ‘Asterisk’ varieties of potato at Taka 900 to Taka 950 in wholesale markets.

Besides, each 70 kilogram sack of local varieties of potatoes like ‘Sheel Alu’ and ‘Jhau Alu’ are currently being sold at rates between Taka 1,600 and Taka 1,800 in the wholesale markets.

“Retailers are now selling each kilogram of common varieties of potatoes at rates between Taka 18 and 20 while ‘`Sheel Alu’ and ‘Jhau Alu’ at rates between Taka 32 and Taka 35 in local kitchen markets,” Hafizur Rahman added.

Potato prices marked falls since the last month following massive production and lack of adequate preservation facilities in cold storages, he added.

Former President of Rangpur Chamber Mostafa Sohrab Chowdhury Titu suggested the present democratically elected government to increase storage facilities, establish agro-based industries, and increase exports to ensure fair prices for potato farmers.

Potato growers Abul Kalam, Golam Mostafa, Nurul Amin and Farhad Hossain of different villages in Rangpur hoped that the present government will take necessary steps to make potato farming sustainably profitable for farmers in Rangpur region.