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http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2016/08/29/43882/Potato-production-hits-record-high-in-FY'16
Published : 29 Aug 2016, 22:39:22
Potato production hits record high in FY'16
Cold storage capacity doesn't catch up
Yasir Wardad
Bangladesh's potato production hit an all-time-high of 9.47 million tonnes in the last fiscal year (FY'16), the latest data showed but cold storage facilities showed little progress compared to higher output.
While the country maintained its seventh position among top potato-producing countries by showing consecutive bumper production in the last four years, shortfall of storage capacity is hurting farmers and traders, sector insiders said.
Experts advocated increasing storage facility at lower cost for the farmers to maintain such higher growth.
They also emphasised exploring new export markets and increasing use of processed food to minimise wastage.
Potato output was a record 9.47 million tonnes on 4.75 million hectares in FY'16 against 9.254 million tonnes on 4.62 million hectares in FY'15.
The yield growth was measured at 2.33 per cent over that of FY'15, according to provisional estimates by Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).
The BBS data showed that each hectare yield also increased to 19.9 million tonnes in the last FY from 19.6 million tonnes in FY'15.
Potato production was 8.95 million tonnes in FY'14, 8.60 million tonnes in FY'13 and 8.205 million tonnes in FY'12, the BBS data showed.
Joint-director of BBS (Agri Wing) Bidhan Baral said farmers' expectation from getting a profitable price and favourable weather might have helped increase acreage and production of the key tuber crop in FY'16.
However, production of carbohydrate-rich crop has increased by 1.26 million tonnes in the last five years, but cold storage facility increased by only 0.4 million tonnes during the period, official data revealed.
Farm economist Prof Golam Hafiz Kennedy said farmers have been doing their basic job (to raise production), but getting little return.
He said potato price fell to just Tk 1.8 a kg during the harvesting season in FY'14 against production cost of Tk 5.5-Tk 6.5 across the country.
Lack of storage facility has been depriving farmers of making profits from potato farming, he said.
He said the operating cost of private cold-storage should be minimised by giving incentives like electricity bill rebate, tax rebate, loan at single-digit interest.
Community-based cold storage should be set up at every union with help of the government, which could give access to small and-medium-scale farmers, he said.
According to the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM), the country had 375 cold storage facilities having 2.7 million tonnes of capacity in FY'15, which was 2.3 million tonnes in FY'11.
Assistant Director of DAM T M Rashed Khan told the FE that the capacity of cold storehouses has increased by 0.4 million tonnes in the last five years.
He said over 2.02 million tonnes of potatoes was stored in the cold storehouses in 2015 against the capacity of 2.7 million as many facilities remained shut in Rangpur and Rajshahi regions.
He said nearly 40 cold storage facilities in Rangpur district had a capacity of 0.43 million tones, but 0.272 million tonnes were stored in 2015.
He said the DAM survey found that many of the cold storage facilities were shut due to several reasons, including bank defaulting, lack of investment, due electricity bills.
The Bangladesh Cold Storage Association (BCSA) chairman Md Jasim Uddin said that the cold storehouses have a 14-year record stock now.
He said only 15 per cent of stored potato has been sold out in the last five months.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com
Published : 29 Aug 2016, 22:39:22
Potato production hits record high in FY'16
Cold storage capacity doesn't catch up
Yasir Wardad
Bangladesh's potato production hit an all-time-high of 9.47 million tonnes in the last fiscal year (FY'16), the latest data showed but cold storage facilities showed little progress compared to higher output.
While the country maintained its seventh position among top potato-producing countries by showing consecutive bumper production in the last four years, shortfall of storage capacity is hurting farmers and traders, sector insiders said.
Experts advocated increasing storage facility at lower cost for the farmers to maintain such higher growth.
They also emphasised exploring new export markets and increasing use of processed food to minimise wastage.
Potato output was a record 9.47 million tonnes on 4.75 million hectares in FY'16 against 9.254 million tonnes on 4.62 million hectares in FY'15.
The yield growth was measured at 2.33 per cent over that of FY'15, according to provisional estimates by Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).
The BBS data showed that each hectare yield also increased to 19.9 million tonnes in the last FY from 19.6 million tonnes in FY'15.
Potato production was 8.95 million tonnes in FY'14, 8.60 million tonnes in FY'13 and 8.205 million tonnes in FY'12, the BBS data showed.
Joint-director of BBS (Agri Wing) Bidhan Baral said farmers' expectation from getting a profitable price and favourable weather might have helped increase acreage and production of the key tuber crop in FY'16.
However, production of carbohydrate-rich crop has increased by 1.26 million tonnes in the last five years, but cold storage facility increased by only 0.4 million tonnes during the period, official data revealed.
Farm economist Prof Golam Hafiz Kennedy said farmers have been doing their basic job (to raise production), but getting little return.
He said potato price fell to just Tk 1.8 a kg during the harvesting season in FY'14 against production cost of Tk 5.5-Tk 6.5 across the country.
Lack of storage facility has been depriving farmers of making profits from potato farming, he said.
He said the operating cost of private cold-storage should be minimised by giving incentives like electricity bill rebate, tax rebate, loan at single-digit interest.
Community-based cold storage should be set up at every union with help of the government, which could give access to small and-medium-scale farmers, he said.
According to the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM), the country had 375 cold storage facilities having 2.7 million tonnes of capacity in FY'15, which was 2.3 million tonnes in FY'11.
Assistant Director of DAM T M Rashed Khan told the FE that the capacity of cold storehouses has increased by 0.4 million tonnes in the last five years.
He said over 2.02 million tonnes of potatoes was stored in the cold storehouses in 2015 against the capacity of 2.7 million as many facilities remained shut in Rangpur and Rajshahi regions.
He said nearly 40 cold storage facilities in Rangpur district had a capacity of 0.43 million tones, but 0.272 million tonnes were stored in 2015.
He said the DAM survey found that many of the cold storage facilities were shut due to several reasons, including bank defaulting, lack of investment, due electricity bills.
The Bangladesh Cold Storage Association (BCSA) chairman Md Jasim Uddin said that the cold storehouses have a 14-year record stock now.
He said only 15 per cent of stored potato has been sold out in the last five months.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com
