Potato prices witness 25 to 40pc spike during peak harvest
Consumers feeling the pinch as the prices surged to Tk 80 to 100 per kg in Dhaka
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Potato prices surged to Tk 80 to 100 per kilogramme on Monday, witnessing a 25-40 per cent spike during the peak harvest, sources from the kitchen market reported.
Grocer Riad Hossain from West Dhanmondi told FE that both stored and freshly harvested tubers are being sold at the same elevated rate.
“Wholesale prices of all potatoes jumped to Tk 68-75 per kg, with a significant Tk 15-17 per kg increase based on quality,” said Md Monowar, a wholesaler at Beribadh-Rayerbazar area in Dhaka.
The limited supply of the new harvest this year has contributed to the comparatively low availability, according to Monowar.
The collaboration between big traders and cold storage entities led to a further increase in stored potato prices by Tk 12-14 per kg in the last three days, leaving consumers with no affordable options during the harvest season.
A Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) official explained that two spells of cyclones caused a three-week delay in potato cultivation, resulting in a limited supply even in the last week of December.
However, favourable weather conditions later prompted farmers to cultivate on a large scale, maintaining high prices.
The official predicts a harvest of 11.6 million tonnes by April from 0.462 million hectares, based on current weather conditions.