Farmers are grappling with soaring seed-potato prices, which have risen to Tk 70-Tk 90 per kilogram. This surge is expected to significantly raise the production cost of potatoes this year. Many medium and large-scale farmers who usually preserve seed potatoes for planting have sold them as table potatoes during June and July, fetching higher prices. Consequently, the availability of potato seeds in the market has been affected. With the higher seed costs, farmers face an increase in production expenses by up to 50%.
This situation is primarily driven by farmers selling their seed potatoes when they were in high demand, resulting in a shortage for planting. Seed dealers anticipate further price increases in the coming months. Seed companies like Brac, Supreme, and Mallika have yet to supply adequate seeds. The Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) acknowledges the seed shortage and plans to distribute 36,000 tonnes of seed potatoes this year. Farm economists suggest that the government should promptly release potato production data and take appropriate policy measures to address the issue.
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