Farmers in Nilphamari district have been growing early potatoes with little capital. Marginal and medium farmers are planting the crop early on high, level land to meet local demand, supply the rest of the country and fetch a good price.

They are busy all day collecting seed from cold stores, preparing land and applying fertiliser for the early varieties. Having finished cutting and threshing short-duration early Aus and Aman paddy in the Bengali months of Bhadra and Ashwin, they are now planting potatoes on the same land.

According to the district agriculture office, the target for potato cultivation in the district this year is 21,712 hectares, of which 8,800 hectares is for early potatoes. Seed of the early variety Seven, which can be lifted in 50-55 days on loam soil, has been planted. If farmers can bring new potatoes to consumers at the start of the season, they will get a good market price and double their profit.

Rafiqul Islam, a farmer from Kachukata Bandarpara in Nilphamari Sadar, said: "This year I have planted early potatoes on 4 bighas. I had to buy seed potatoes at Tk 40-50 a kg. If I can lift them early, I can sell them at Tk 70-80 a kg."

Tofazzal Hossain of Kalket Dolapara village in Mirganj, Jaldhaka upazila, said: "With the way fertiliser and pesticide prices are rising, it is costing Tk 40,000-50,000 a bigha. If I don't get Tk 80-100 a kg, I will make a loss."

Momtaz Ali of South Bahagili village in Bahagili union, Kishoreganj upazila, said: "This time too I have prepared to plant early potatoes on 11 bighas. If the weather stays good, I can bring the potatoes home within 58-60 days. If the market price is good, after the costs of fertiliser, seed, transport and labour, the profit will be about Tk 5 to 6 lakh."

Lokman Alam, the Kishoreganj upazila agriculture officer, said: "The soil and weather of the upazila are very suitable for early potatoes. Every year farmers here double their profit by growing early potatoes. This year the target has been set for 400 hectares more land under potatoes."

Dr SM Abu Bakar Saiful Islam, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Nilphamari, said: "Potato cultivation will increase compared with last year. As the current weather is favourable, farmers are being advised to grow potatoes on high land. On low land they are being told to plant according to the weather."

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