The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has fixed a target of producing 22,64,596 tonnes of potato from 97,125 hectares of land for all five districts in Rangpur agriculture region during the current Rabi season.
The DAE officials said farmers already started sowing early varieties of potato seeds after harvesting short duration varieties of Aman rice from early this month to harvest those from the end of November and earn more profits.
Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Bidhu Bhusan Ray said the process of sowing potato seeds will get momentum with the progress in Aman rice harvesting and continue till December next.
The DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC), Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) and other agriculture-related organisations have already started assisting farmers to make the intensive potato farming program a success.
“Tender plants of early varieties of potato are growing fabulously amid favourable climatic conditions,” Ray said.
Talking to BSS, farmers Hafizur Rahman, Dulal Chandra, Ariful Haque, Aiyub Ali and Mpminur Rahman of different villages in Rangpur Sadar upazila said they are sowing early varieties of potato seeds after harvesting short duration Aman rice from the second week of October.
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Farmers Abdur Rahman, Fazlul Haque and Solaiman Ali of Mithapukur upazila in Rangpur said they have already completed sowing of early varieties of potato seeds and are expecting to harvest their cultivated potato from late November next.
Meanwhile, farmers Abu Bakar Siddique, Raihan Ali, Pronoy Paul, SEkender Ali and Mahtab Hossain of Saddyapuskorini union in Rangpur said they would start sowing late varieties of potato seeds on their croplands after harvesting Aman rice from late November.
Vegetable trader Hafizur Rahman at Rangpur City Bazar and Fazlur Rahman at Keranipara Kitchen Market in the city said early varieties of potato might appear from the middle of November next in local markets.
Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid today told BSS the DAE, BADC and other organisations are providing quality potato seeds to farmers for successful potato cultivation.
“Field level officials of the DAE, other agriculture-related organisations and some NGOs are providing latest technologies to farmers for proper sowing of potato seeds and nursing tender potato plants to get maximum yield,” Rashid added.
Agriculturist Dr Md Abdul Mazid, who got the Independence Award-2018 (food security), appreciated various initiatives taken by the government to assist farmers in enhancing production of potato and other Rabi crops.
Talking to BSS, President of Rangpur Chamber Mostafa Sohrab Chowdhury Titu stressed on setting up of agri-industries for preserving and producing potato products and enhancing export of potato and potato products to make potato farming more profitable for farmers.