Growers reluctant to release potatoes from cold storages

Potato farmers are running away, skipping repeated calls from cold storage owners in the district to take back their stockpiled potatoes as prices of their produced crop are still in a downtrend.

Cold storage operators said growers have been expressing reluctance to release their potatoes as market prices for the country's most consumed vegetable still remain far below their expectations in the district.

At the cold-storage level, potatoes are now selling for Tk14-15 a kilogramme, while the cost of production and storage has reached Tk24-25, according to traders in Bogura.

The gap translates into losses of about Tk10 a kilogramme-or Tk 900-1,000 per 63-kg sack-wiping out profits for thousands of smallholders.

"Farmers and a section of traders have reportedly been avoiding calls from cold-storage operators, many of whom fear defaults on rental fees", said Md Nurunnabi, manager of Himadri Limited Cold Storage in Shibganj in Bogura. "Out of fear of paying the rent, many are now absconding," said Mr. Nurunnabi, adding 85 per cent of the 32,000-sack capacity remains full of potato. They need spaces to accommodate fresh potato.

Data from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) shows that the Bogura-Joypurhat region produced 2.15 million tonnes of potato across 94,000 hectares in the 2024-25 season, a record yield thanks to favourable weather.

But the bumper harvest depressed prices and quickly filled up the area's 56 cold storages, which hold just over half a million tonnes.

At a loss of Tk 10 per kg, the total financial blow for potatoes stored in Bogura alone is estimated at more than Tk 5.0 billion.

Obaidul, who cultivates seven bighas of land with potato in Betgari village, said he spent Tk1,880 per sack to grow and store red Pakri potato, that now fetches Tk 1,000 only.

"During the season, the retail price of potato was Tk 25-27 a kg. Now I'm selling it for Tk 18-20 a kg," he said.

For the popular Asterix (locally known as "Stick") variety, the market price has fallen to Tk 600-700 per sack against a cost of Tk 1,530, causing a loss of Tk 930. Cold storage owners are also struggling to cope with the price fall.

"The fall in potato prices has become a nightmare," said Tofazzal Hossain, senior vice-president of the Greater Bogura Cold Storage Owners Association.

"We are an integral part of the agricultural value chain; yet our losses are ignored. Electricity bills alone can reach Tk2.0 million a month," he added.

Hossain warned that unless the government steps in with credit or energy support, the storage sector-and the stability it provides to potato farming-could face a serious financial crunch in the coming months.

Under such circumstances, the potatoes stored in the cold storages might have to be destroyed to accommodate the new crops of this year, he said.

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