Dhiraj Roy, a farmer in Maljhar village, Dinajpur, is reconsidering his potato cultivation plans due to escalating seed and agricultural input costs. At Railbazarhat market, Dinajpur's largest wholesale seed market, Çhalisa variety potato seeds are now $1.10 USD per kg, a sharp increase from last season's $0.66 to $0.77. Despite bargaining, the rising prices are expected to add $110 to $132 to Dhiraj's expenses this season.
In Rangpur division, including Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, and Panchagarh, farmers started early potato cultivation in October. Last season, about 1,650 hectares were cultivated, needing around 3 lakh metric tonnes of seeds, 90 percent of which were sourced from local farmers. The Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) and private companies supply the remaining seeds. However, with the BADC yet to start seed sales, private sector prices have surged, now ranging from $0.88 to $1.10 per kg.
Farmers like Nur Alam from Ramdubi village have noticed a significant price jump in Esterize potato seeds, urging regulatory action. Seed producers and wholesale traders attribute the hike to last year's high potato prices and increased cold storage and labour costs. The BADC plans to distribute 2,800 metric tonnes of seeds in the greater Rangpur area, but farmers are concerned about the rising costs impacting their profitability without government intervention.
Source: The Daily Star