BSS, Rangpur :
The government has fixed a target of producing 87.89 lakh tonnes potato from 4.50 lakh hectares of land in the country during the current 2014-2015 Rabi season, official sources said.
Under the programme, farmers of the country’s northern region will produce 61.59 lakh tonnes potato from over 3.15 lakh hectares land, 70.09 percent of the fixed national target of producing 87.89 lakh tonnes potato this season.
During the last 20113-2014 Rabi season, the farmers produced 63.27 lakh tonnes potato from 3.27 lakh hectares land against the fixed target of producing over 60.49 lakh tonnes from over 3.16 hectares of land in the region.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC), Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) and other related departments have taken adequate steps to make potato farming programme successful.
According to the DAE sources, the farmers have already started sowing early variety potato seed after harvesting short duration Aman rice everywhere in the northern region to harvest those from the first week of December.
Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khondker Md. Mesbahul Islam said sowing of potato seeds will get full momentum by this month end with the progress of Aman harvest everywhere in the region.
The concerned agriculture related departments and organisations, seed dealers and many NGOs have been providing quality potato seeds and other necessary inputs, including fertilisers, among the farmers to achieve the farming target.
The early variety winter potato will appear in the local markets by the next two weeks because of its cultivation much ahead in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur and other places in the region.
Deputy Director of the DAE Zulfiquer Haider said officials and experts of agriculture related departments and organisations have been providing necessary assistance to the farmers to make the fixed potato farming programme a success.
Talking to BSS, farmers Miyazan Ali, Kutub Hossain and Shachindra Nath of Kawnia upazila here said they have already completed sowing seed of the early variety potato, after harvesting short duration Aman rice and the plants are growing well.
Associate Director -Agriculture of BRAC International (South Asia and Africa) Dr M A Mazid suggested for setting up adequate preservation facilities for potato and enhancing exports to make potato cultivation more profitable for the farmers.
Potato exporter and President of Rangpur District Potato Growers’ Association Alhaj Mohammad Khwaja Ahmed said the enthusiastic farmers are expected to cultivate potato on more land this season after getting better potato price last season.
The government has fixed a target of producing 87.89 lakh tonnes potato from 4.50 lakh hectares of land in the country during the current 2014-2015 Rabi season, official sources said.
Under the programme, farmers of the country’s northern region will produce 61.59 lakh tonnes potato from over 3.15 lakh hectares land, 70.09 percent of the fixed national target of producing 87.89 lakh tonnes potato this season.
During the last 20113-2014 Rabi season, the farmers produced 63.27 lakh tonnes potato from 3.27 lakh hectares land against the fixed target of producing over 60.49 lakh tonnes from over 3.16 hectares of land in the region.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC), Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) and other related departments have taken adequate steps to make potato farming programme successful.
According to the DAE sources, the farmers have already started sowing early variety potato seed after harvesting short duration Aman rice everywhere in the northern region to harvest those from the first week of December.
Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khondker Md. Mesbahul Islam said sowing of potato seeds will get full momentum by this month end with the progress of Aman harvest everywhere in the region.
The concerned agriculture related departments and organisations, seed dealers and many NGOs have been providing quality potato seeds and other necessary inputs, including fertilisers, among the farmers to achieve the farming target.
The early variety winter potato will appear in the local markets by the next two weeks because of its cultivation much ahead in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur and other places in the region.
Deputy Director of the DAE Zulfiquer Haider said officials and experts of agriculture related departments and organisations have been providing necessary assistance to the farmers to make the fixed potato farming programme a success.
Talking to BSS, farmers Miyazan Ali, Kutub Hossain and Shachindra Nath of Kawnia upazila here said they have already completed sowing seed of the early variety potato, after harvesting short duration Aman rice and the plants are growing well.
Associate Director -Agriculture of BRAC International (South Asia and Africa) Dr M A Mazid suggested for setting up adequate preservation facilities for potato and enhancing exports to make potato cultivation more profitable for the farmers.
Potato exporter and President of Rangpur District Potato Growers’ Association Alhaj Mohammad Khwaja Ahmed said the enthusiastic farmers are expected to cultivate potato on more land this season after getting better potato price last season.
