Potato prices in Bangladesh have surged to an all-time high of Tk 80 per kg, up by Tk 10 in recent weeks, surpassing the previous record of Tk 70 in August 2021. Traders attribute the spike to delayed harvests of early varieties due to adverse weather in August, reduced production, and increased demand for seeds during the peak cultivation season. Market manipulation by cold storage owners and traders, along with halted imports and discrepancies in production data, have further exacerbated the situation. Cold storage prices have risen to Tk 68-70 per kg, while retail prices hover at Tk 78-80.
Experts highlight a mismatch between actual production and inflated data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), which estimates 10.6 million tonnes produced in FY24, while industry sources claim only 9 million tonnes. Calls for stricter regulation and disclosure of cold storage stock data have intensified to stabilize the market.