Farmers in Kurigram are busy planting potatoes, a winter crop. After good prices last year, farmers on the chars have also turned to potatoes this year. The Kurigram agricultural extension office has set a target of 7,100 hectares of potato this year, and expects farmers to profit if the weather stays favourable.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Kurigram, potatoes of various varieties are being grown this season on char, fallow and cultivated land in Kurigram Sadar, Nageshwari, Bhurungamari, Phulbari, Ulipur, Rajarhat and other upazilas. Besides Romana, Esterik, Cardinal, high-yielding (HYV) and Sunshine varieties, local varieties are also being grown. The target for the district this season is about 7,100 hectares.

On the Dharla river char at Masterhat in Holokhana union of Kurigram Sadar upazila, farmers were planting early potatoes. Women as well as men were busy preparing the land, planting seed potatoes and applying fertiliser. Potatoes take less time and bring more profit than other crops, local farmers said. They plan to lift the potatoes within just 55-60 days and then grow maize, mustard and other crops.

Potato farmer Md Nur Islam said: "Farmers' interest in growing potatoes on the chars has grown this year as a way to make up for flood losses. I have grown potatoes on 5 bighas. It will cost Tk 40,000-45,000 a bigha. If care is not lacking, the yield will be good, and on that basis I hope to sell Tk 1 lakh worth per bigha."

Potato farmer Abu Bakkar Siddique said: "I am planting potatoes on about 18 acres of sharecropped land. But this year seed potatoes, fertiliser and pesticide are dearer, so the cost of growing potatoes will be a bit higher. Still, if the weather and market prices stay good, I hope to make a profit."

Md Sekender Ali, owner of Sekender Cold Store in Kurigram, said farmers were more interested in growing potatoes this year than last, but the supply of seed potatoes was comparatively low. With less seed stored than demand, farmers may face a seed shortage, he said.

Abdullah Al Mamun, deputy director of the DAE in Kurigram, said: "A target of 7,100 hectares of potato has been set for the district this season. I hope the target will be met. If the weather is favourable and market prices are good, farmers will profit."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.