Sometimes bumper harvest of a crop is fraught with risks. This has happened with potato as its output hit historic high last season. The country produced 1.15 crore tonnes of potatoes, the highest in history in the last harvesting season. It has raised fears among the growers that a large portion of the tuber is likely to remain surplus this year as demand is far below the output.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of statistics (BBS), an expansion of the cultivation area and a suitable weather enhanced the overall production of the popular vegetable. Farmers grew the tuber on an area of 4.92 hectares in the fiscal year 2024-25 up 8 percent year on year. Overall production 9 percent year on year from 1.06 crore tonnes the previous year.
The country requires over 90 lakh tonnes of potato, including 10 lakh tonnes of potato used for seeds, for domestic consumption. With roughly 80 lakh tonnes are consumed, a portion of the vegetable is used by chips and cracker processors. Besides, 62,00 tonnes of potatoes were exported in the fiscal year 2024-25. Transplanted from mid-September to November, the main harvest starts in mid-January continuing until March. Early varieties of tuber start arriving at market from January and obviously the demand for old potatoes declines amid the increased arrival of winter vegetable. Majority of buyers will not be interested to buy potatoes at the end of the year resulting in the losses for growers.
It has raised fears among the
growers that a large portion
of the tuber is likely to remain
surplus this year as demand is
far below the output
There is just another snag that cold storages have about 29 lakh tonnes of potatoes at present as only four lakh tonnes have been released so far. Now there are no potatoes at the farmers’ end. As there are only three and a half months left of the season, a large quality of potato is likely to remain surplus and the price shows much lower than the overall cost, according to a market expert.
The quantity of potato export is not very significant. Mostly the farmers’ stored potatoes in the cold storages are going to incur a loss and the president of the Bangladesh Cold Storage Association (BCSA) urged the authorities concerned to take initiative to distribute potatoes under social safety net programmes with a view to increasing consumption and saving the farmers from losses. Any decision is yet to come from the authorities.
Few crops are as widely consumed worldwide as potatoes. About two thirds of the world's population include potatoes in their diet for its widespread reliance for nourishment. With around 5,000 varieties across the globe, the diversity of vegetables plays a vital role in global food security and nutrition.
As for export, potato varieties produced in Bangladesh are not price-competitive in the global market. Beyond prices, exporters cite structural challenges. A large portion of the varieties, only about 15, produced in the country have little or no demand internationally. Unless production focuses on global demand, exports will not increase. Another patent ground of grouse is that high freight charges make Bangladeshi potatoes uncompetitive outside nearby markets. Potatoes are typically exported only to neighbouring or nearby countries where freight costs are relatively low. Beyond these regions, exports are minimal or nonexistent, presenting a significant challenge, according to an expert. For now, potato produced in the country mostly remain confined to domestic plate rather than foreign plate.
We would expect that the authorities concerned will tap the potential of potato with more competitive varieties by removing the bottlenecks in export and as it might open up new doors for the country's economy.
