Lalmonirhat Correspondent:

Farmers, traders and warehouse owners in Lalmonirhat are expressing growing concern over unsold potatoes stored in cold storage in five upazilas, fearing significant financial losses this season.

A 60-kg sack of potatoes, which costs around Tk 1,500 to produce and store, is now selling for only Tk 700-800 in the market, leaving farmers counting a minimum loss of Tk 600 per sack.

Local growers say the lack of demand has forced them to leave their stock in cold storage, further reducing turnover.

Compared to last year’s 40 percent sales by this time, less than 20 percent of this season’s stored potatoes have been sold, sparking concerns among warehouse owners.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) office in the district, potatoes were cultivated on 7,800 hectares this season, yielding 204,000 metric tonnes (MTs). Of this, 78,000 MTs are now stored in nine district cold storages.

Many farmers, encouraged by last year’s higher returns, stored potatoes this season hoping for good prices, but have yet to receive the expected gains.

Storing a single sack in a warehouse costs between Tk 1,000 and Tk 1,100, bringing total expenses to around Tk 1,500 per sack, and the present market prices leave farmers with only Tk 250–300 per sack after four months of storage.

Expressing frustration, Sohag, a farmer from Charitabari village in Aditmari upazila, said, “I stored 100 sacks of potatoes expecting a good turnover. After two months, I earned only Tk 28,000. Selling during the season could have brought about Tk 60,000. We are left financially ruined.”

Faruque Hossain, another farmer from Kamalabari, stored 50 sacks at a local Fatema Cold Storage to cover Aman paddy planting costs. “Selling now, I am counting a loss of around Tk 20,000 as demand for the crop has fallen,” he lamented.

Traders have also voiced concerns over market imbalances. Masudur Rahman, a trader in Chaparhat market, accused government agencies of exerting pressure to reduce prices when prices rise but taking no action when prices fall, negatively affecting both farmers and traders.

Jabed Hossain, another trader, said he purchased several truckloads of potatoes at Tk 150 per sack but cannot sell them in the wholesale market due to low demand, forcing him to sell at a loss.

Warehouse owners reported that neither farmers nor traders are collecting their stock. While 50,000–60,000 sacks were removed from storage by August last year, this year only 10,000–15,000 sacks have been sold, raising concerns that storage may not be emptied before November.

Acknowledging the situation, Md. Harunur Rashid, district agricultural marketing officer, said farmers are suffering because they are not receiving fair prices. “The matter has been reported to higher authorities, and we hope the government will take steps soon to prevent further losses,” he added.

Dr Saikhul Arefin, Deputy Director of the district DAE, said, “78,000 MTs out of 204,000 MTs remain in cold storage this season. Farmers are not collecting their potatoes due to low market prices, raising the risk of a market management crisis.”