Potato export increases rural agro-economy

By Mamun Islam --RANGPUR, March 8, 2013 (BSS) - The country is expected to export over 12 lakh tonnes granular variety potato this season after exporting some 20 lakh tonnes during the past two years ushering in a new horizon to rural agro-economy. According to potato traders, exporters and chamber leaders, record quantity of granular variety, export quality, potato has been produced this season in the northern region highly suitable for exporting to Singapore, Malaysia and Middle East countries. Potato exporter and President of Rangpur District Potato Growers' Association Alhaj Mohammad Khwaja Ahmed predicted brighter prospect of exporting a huge granular potato following its record production this season. "If export-friendly situation prevails, the nation can earn a huge foreign exchange through exporting over 12 lakh tonnes potato to Malaysia and Singapore alone this season," he said adding that frequent hartals are hampering exporting process now. Bigger potato growers Abdul Gaffar, Dinesh Chandra and Salim Uddin said framers would get real benefits if the export continues expanding side-by-side setting up of agro-based industries in the northern region. According to the chamber leaders, there is a huge prospect of exporting potato to many African, European and far eastern countries from the northern region through exploring potato demands prevailing in those regions. President of Rangpur Chamber Mosaddek Hossain Bablu said the foreign companies have been using exported potato from Bangladesh in preparing potato chips and other foodstuffs to earn giant profits by marketing those at homes and abroad. According to local potato exporters, Taka 200 crore could be earned annually through exporting over one-lakh tonnes potato at the present rate of US $ 240 per tonne on an average to Singapore and Malaysia from Rangpur division alone. Potato of 100-gram to 250-gram in size are being packed in 4kg, 5kg, 10kg and 20kg mini packs in polythene nets for exporting to Singapore, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia by shipping from Chittagong, they said. Potato exporters of Dhaka, Narayanganj and Chittagong through local agents have set up potato sorting, cleaning and packaging centres at many places in Rangpur, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and other places. Hundreds of day and farm-labourers including females are being employed in these potatoes sorting, cleaning and packaging centres and they are earning good wages by working there. Potato sorting, cleaning and packaging agents Tulu at Mahiganj, Rubel and Nantu at Taraganj, Bitu at Gangachara and Ripan at Tapodhan and Razzaque at Hajirhat in Rangpur said they are purchasing granular potato directly from farmers. Partners of Bandon Agro-Trading Corporation Dulal Hosain and Anwar Hossain said they have been exporting big-sized quality granular potato in recent years to Malaysia through Miami Traders of Dhaka. Presently, over 60 potato exporters of different districts in Rangpur division have been exporting granular variety potato through bigger exporters to Singapore, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia by shipping from Chittagong, they said.

Potato growers bring their produce to a dealer centre for sale at Mohendranagar village in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila. Agri Concern Bangladesh, an NGO, buys potatoes through its authorised dealers from five upazilas of the district for export to foreign countries. Photo: Star Quality potatoes, produced in different areas of five upazilas of Lalmonirhat district, are being exported to different foreign countries, particularly Malaysia and Singapore. Agri Concern Bangladesh, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), buys medium size potatoes from growers through its 20 approved dealers to export them (potatoes) abroad. Growers said they are not satisfied with the rates of potatoes this year as dealers are giving them Tk 9 for per kg while its current price in the local market stands at Tk 8. Last year, the dealers of Agri Concern Bangladesh bought one kg of medium size fresh potato for Tk 13, but they are now giving only taka 9 against per kg, the growers said, adding that the dealers are not giving fair price of their produce, saying that supply is plentiful. Potato grower Mizanur Rahman of Mohendranagar village under Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila said they sold potato to the dealers of Agri Concern Bangladesh at Tk 12 to 13 per kg last year, but they are now selling potato to the dealers at Tk 9 per kg. The dealers purchase medium size fresh and spotless potatoes. If they give us last years rate, we must be encouraged to produce good quality potatoes next year, Mizan added. Nur Islam of Durakuti village in the same upazila said he earned a good profit by selling potatoes to a dealers shop last year. This year, he is selling potatoes at such a rate, which will only meet his production cost. Haider Ali, a dealer at Durakuti village in Sadar upazila has attributed price fall to bumper yield of potatoes in all the five upazilas of the district. Agri Concern Bangladesh didnt fix any rate for purchasing potato. This year, the NGO purchases potato from us giving a profit of Tk one against each Kg and its monitoring team always verify the market price, he said. Abdul Gony, another dealer at Mohendranagar village in Sadar upazila said We purchase spotless medium size potatoes from growers and put them in 5kg and 10kg mini bags to supply to the buyer. The NGO has been exporting potatoes to different foreign countries for the last three years. If the NGO stops exporting potatoes, the growers in Lalmonirhat will have sell their produce at a very low rate in the local market. Nazrul Islam, a field supervisor of the NGO, said they are purchasing at least 80 to 90 Kgs of potatoes from the growers everyday through their 20 dealers. He said the buyer always gives the growers additional Tk 2 than that of the market rate. Sources at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) at Lalmonirhat the farmers have produced over 3 lakh tonnes of potatoes on 15,400 hectares of land in five upazilas of the district this year.

RANGPUR, Apr 21: Export of potato from 8 districts in Rangpur division has created a new horizon to the overall agro-economy in the region. Huge quantity of granular variety, export quality potato was produced in this season in the northern region which are being exported to Singapore, Malaysia and some Middle East countries, potato traders, exporters said.

Taka 2 billion could be earned annually through exporting over one-lakh tonnes potato at the present rate of US $ 240 per tonne on an average to Singapore Potato traders and and Malaysia exporters are from expecting to Rangpur export larger division quantities of alone, potatoes they from the also region this said. year.

Many agro companies, including Agri Concern, BD Food Ltd and Sinha Agro Ltd are exporting potato from the northern districts to different countries including Singapore and Malaysia.

District Potato Growers Association Alhaj Mohammad Khwaja Ahmed said they are optimistic of exporting a huge amount of granular potato this season, if export friendly situation prevails. But presently exporting process is being hampered due to frequent hartal, he added. A big potato farmer, Anisur Rahman (48) of Mithapukur upazila in Rangpur told FE that exports of potato have influenced the market positively to a limited extent, but the farmers have been waiting for months to be able to cover up their losses, he added.

The exporters are buying 'granula' and 'diamond' varieties of potatoes that were produced in abundance in greater Rangpur and Dinajpur districts, said Mosaddek Hossain Bablu, President of Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

According to local potato exporters the foreign companies have been using exported potato from Bangladesh in preparing potato chips and other foodstuffs to earn massive profits by marketing those at homes and abroad.

Potato of 100-gram to 250-gram in size are being packed in 4kg, 5kg, 10kg and 20kg mini packs in polythene nets for exporting to Singapore, Malaysia by shipping from Chittagong, they said.

Bangladeshs potato exports will quadruple this year with new markets opening up, says the agriculture ministry.2014

Ships carrying 30,000 tonnes of potato will leave the Chittagong port for Russia and Taiwan within a day or two, Additional Secretary Anwar Faruque told bdnews24.com. Bangladesh has been shipping potato to 13 countries, mainly in the Middle East and South East Asia, but Russia and Taiwan are the newest additions to its market. We had sat with businesses to boost potato exports. They have raised some demands. We told them that those would be considered, said the top agriculture official. According to him, if everything goes right Bangladesh will ship around 200,000 tonnes of potatoes this year, up from 50,000 tonnes in the previous one. The political turmoil in November-December is the reason behind the current instability in the potato market. The problem stemmed from crops remaining unsold due to strikes and transport blockades, said Faruque, claiming that the mar ket will stabilise by another two weeks. The annual demand of the local market is 4.5 million tonnes and the capacity of 400 cold storages across the country is five million, he added. Potato farmers are in the doldrums as the price fell drastically this year. They have to sell their produce at Tk 1 per kg because of a bumper harvest. According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), the government projected a harvest of 8.65 million tonnes of potatoes on 440,000 hectares this season. However, potato was sown in 448,000 hectares, leading to the harvest surpassing the target, said DAE Deputy Director Rafiqul Islam. Farmers grew more than 8.6 million tonnes of potatoes during the past season. Meanwhile, exporters are demanding the cash incentive be increased to 40 percent from the existing 20 percent, a move they claim would crank up exports. Potato is a perishable vegetable. It would rot or sprouts will grow on it if it doesnt reach the market in time while being shipped under regular temperature, said Bangladesh Cold Storage Associations Chairman Jasim Uddin. Cold storage owners basically export potatoes from Bangladesh. According to the business leader, they would be able to ship potato in air-conditioned containers if the cash-incentive is raised. A tonne of potato is traded between US$ 360 -400 this year, said Jasim Uddin. Bangladesh exported vegetables worth US $110 million in the last fiscal. Of which potato accounted for US$ 11 million, according to figures by the Export Promotion Bureau, According to the Directorate General of Food (DGoF), annual demand for potato in the country is 4.5 million tonnes, while the capacity of the countrys 400 cold storages is only 5 million tonnes