The Bangladesh government has sanctioned the import of 50,000 tonnes of potatoes within two days to counter the recent surge in prices. Approval was granted on October 30, with applications for import submitted starting October 31. Out of 77 applications, 49,755 tonnes were approved, as confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture.
The current retail price in the capital is Tk 60-70 per kg, witnessing a Tk 12-20 increase in the past week. Comparatively, last year’s prices ranged from Tk 25-30 per kg, marking a 109% rise this year. Cold storage owners attribute the hike to a 20% reduction in potato production from the previous year. Government efforts, including raids on cold storage to curb unethical stockpiling, and mobile courts ensuring compliance with the fixed price of Tk 26-27 per kg, are underway.
The total annual demand for potatoes is estimated at 89.92 to 91.09 lakh tonnes in a population of 17.30 crores, with a daily demand of 25,000 tons. The Ministry of Commerce has instructed district commissioners to enforce the fixed prices from Wednesday.
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