Bangladesh Cold Storage Association sought the cooperation of the Agriculture Ministry in selling stocked and surplus potatoes in cold storage.
A delegation of FBCCI and Bangladesh Cold Storage Association met Agriculture Minister Md. AbdurRazzak at his Secretariat office on Tuesday.
FBCCI Senior Vice President Mostafa Azad Chowdhury, Cold Storage Association Chairman MosharrafHossainPusti, Vice President Istiaq Ahmed, Mainakuti Cold Storage Chairman SarwarHossain and Managing Director Nur Mohammad were present during the meeting.
They said, “11 million metric tons of potatoes have been produced in the current 2021 season. In contrast, the demand for potatoes in the country is 8.5-9 milliontonnes. As a result, there is a surplus of about 2 million tonnes of potatoes.
This year, 5.5 million tonnes of edible potatoes, seed potatoes and exportable potatoes are stored in about 400 cold storages. At present the market price of potato is low. If the stored potatoes cannot be marketed, there is a possibility that a large quantity of potatoes will remain unsold.”
Demanding distribution of potatoes for various government works including relief this year as well as last year, the delegation said that proper use of surplus potatoes is possible if the government buys and distributes potatoes among the relief, Kabikha, VGF, OMS, Rohingyas and law enforcement agencies.
Agriculture Minister said, “At the beginning of last year, we took initiative to distribute potatoes in various relief works, among Rohingyas and in rations. As a result, the consumption of potatoes increased and eventually the price of potatoes went out of control. Necessary steps will be taken for the marketing of surplus potatoes this year.”
The minister further said that in order to have a fair market for potatoes, exports need to be increased along with the local market. Considering that, efforts are being made to increase potato exports. Potato exports will increase a lot in the future.
