Abdul Hakim, a farmer in the border char area of Sherpur, now has new dreams. A few years ago his livelihood depended only on paddy and wheat, and with low crop prices he could not make a good profit and struggled to meet household costs. Times have changed: the sweet potatoes he grows are now going to the Japanese market, opening new possibilities in his life.

"I used to grow paddy but the profit was not much. Now I am earning well growing sweet potatoes. I can sell them for Tk 650 a maund," said Abdul Hakim.

Not only Abdul Hakim: many farmers in Jhenaigati, Sreebardi and Nalitabari upazilas are succeeding with sweet potatoes. "We used to think only big companies' products went abroad. Now we see our sweet potatoes going to Japan too!" said Md Rafiq, a farmer from Kamarer Char.

Farmer Saidul Islam said: "We used to sell potatoes at the local market and got low prices. Now a Japanese company buys the potatoes directly from us, so we get a good price. Next year I will grow them on more land."

Naruto Japan Company Limited of Japan has signed contracts directly with 43 farmers to buy their sweet potatoes, giving them seed, fertiliser and training free of charge. Under the contract, local farmers have grown the Kokoi-14 variety on 90 acres, and the company supplied all inputs, including seed, fertiliser and pesticide, free.

After harvest, the company will buy all the project's potatoes directly from the field. It paid Tk 580 a maund last year and has raised the price to Tk 650 this year. Khorshed Alam, a farmer from Jangaldi Nayapara village in Balaiyer Char union of Sadar upazila, said the yield is 250-300 maunds an acre, which can be sold for Tk 1.5 to 2 lakh.

Humayun Kabir, additional deputy director of the Sherpur district agriculture department at Khamarbari, said: "This season the target for sweet potatoes in Sherpur was 205 hectares, but 242 hectares were planted: 24 hectares in Jhenaigati, 7 in Sreebardi, 39 in Nalitabari, 90 in Sherpur Sadar and 82 in Nakla. That is 37 hectares more than the target."

News of exports to Japan and the crop's profitability are increasing farmers' interest, and demand and prices for sweet potatoes are also rising in the domestic market. Not only Sherpur: neighbouring Jamalpur has also had a bumper sweet potato crop this season, with a maund selling for Tk 1,100 to 1,150, bringing smiles to farmers' faces.

Agriculture experts say the potatoes are processed into many food products that are exported to Japan and also sold in supershops across the country. The skins of other sweet potatoes are usually thrown away, but the Kokoi-14 variety can be eaten with its skin. The Japanese sell it boiled, packaged like cakes.

"This success in growing and exporting sweet potatoes has opened a new horizon for Bangladesh's agriculture sector. With government support and technological development, sweet potato farming can be expanded to other regions of the country, which will play an important role in the economy," said Humayun Kabir.

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