BOGURA, Dec 10: Farmers in the district are happy with the fair market prices of the newly-harvested potato.
The early cultivated potato is being sold at Tk 1,600 to Tk 1800 per maund in the retail, while Tk 1400 to Tk 1500 in the wholesale market across the district.
A good number of potato growers in Dupchanchia, Kahaloo, Shibganj, Sonatola, Sariakandi, Gabtoly, Nandigram, Sherpur, Dhunot, Shajahanpur and Sadar upazilas said they also had made a good profit last year due to good market prices.
Favourable weather condition, timely supply of necessary agri-inputs and hard work have ensured achieving such yield, said sub-assistance agriculture officer of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Faridur Rahman.
Farmer Munnaf Hossain of Kahaloo upazila said he is hopeful of making Tk 40,000 profit from a bigha of land.
The Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) has provided quality seeds among the farmers.
A farmer generally gets 40 maunds to 50 maunds of yield from a bigha of land spending Tk 16,000 to Tk 20,000.
DAE officials said farmers have shown more interest to bring new cropland under early potato cultivation for lucrative profit.
Meanwhile, our roving correspondent from Joypurhat adds: Potato growers of the district are also happy over the good market rate.
Each sack (80 kg) of Fatapaki potato is being sold at Tk 1,900 to Tk 2,000, diamond variety at Tk 1,600 to Tk 1,700, cardinal at Tk 1,500 to Tk 1,600 and Telpakri at Tk 1,400 to Tk 1,450 per sack in the retail markets across the district.
Some potato farmers said commercial potato cultivation is gaining popularity among the peasants.
Low production cost and healthy return insist the farmers on growing the popular item on the vast tract of land, they added.
The DAE office sources said farmers in Akkelpur, Pachbibi, Kalai, Khetlal and Sadar upazilas of the district have produced some 0.6 million tonnes of potato on 55,000 hectares of land.
In a recent visit to large kitchen markets this correspondent found farmers were busy processing the produce after lifting from cold storages.
Local traders said a large amount of potato is sent to different districts across the country.
"I have spent Tk 200 to produce a maund of Fatapakri potato and Tk 400 for preserving at cold storages," said farmer Shahdat Hossain of Madhaipukur village under Akkelpur upazila.
Deputy Director of DAE Sudhindranath Roy said he provided all sorts of support to the farmers to make the farming programme a success.