SAU Correspondent :
The vitamin ‘A’ rich Japanese varities of Sweet potatoes have been successfully produced by the researchers at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, suiting country’s atmosphere.
The research has been co-ordinated by the Professor Dr Asabul Haque, Department of Agricultural Botany. Three MS fellows including Md Mokhlesur Rahman Munna were engaged with the research.
The research team said that they worked on four varities of sweet Potato. Among them three varities are Japanese origin whose names are Beni, Khokei, Khogena and one country origin species’ name is BARI Sweet Potato 12. The varities were experimentally cultivated on the SAU research field, Gaibandha, Sherpur, Bogura and Shariatpur.
The Khokei varirty has yielding good production with 30 to 35 tons per hectre whereas local varities produce 13-15 tons per hectre and 30 percent rich in Vitamin A compared with country variety. Professor Dr Asabul Islam said that these Japanese varities have high amount of Vitamin A, which can save huge amount of money every year, the government spend for Vitamin A vaccination.
When asked about the low market demand of sweet potato, he replied that the Japanese Company Maruhisa would buy potato from the farmers for sale at Bangladeshi market by processing.
The Project Director Dr Kamal Uddin Ahamed said that the vitamin A rich sweet potato will make greater contribution to meet the Vitamin A deficiency of Bangladeshi people.
The research co-investigator is Prof Md Sekendar Ali, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of SAU.
