The government had recently set a minimum price of BDT 22 per kilogram for potatoes sold at cold storage gates, aligning with farmers’ production costs, and announced plans to purchase 50,000 tons. Yet in Rangpur, the country’s largest potato-producing district, the policy has had little impact. Potatoes are selling for nearly half the mandated price, with retail outlets offering high-quality potatoes for BDT 18 to 20 per kilogram.

A field visit to various wholesale and retail markets in Rangpur on Sunday (August 31), four days after the government’s announcement, found potatoes being sold at BDT 13 to 13.5 per kilogram in wholesale markets.

“Even though the government set the minimum price at BDT 22 at the cold storage gates, it is not being enforced anywhere,” said Md. Nazrul Islam Raju, a wholesaler at Rangpur City Market. “Potatoes are selling at BDT 12 to 12.5 per kilogram. The cost of transporting one sack from cold storage to the wholesale market is around BDT 120. Now, the storage owner spends BDT 385 to 400 per sack, whereas last year this cost was roughly BDT 100 less.”

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension Rangpur, potato production has increased by 412,569 metric tons compared to last year, approaching the combined capacity of the district’s 40 cold storages. In the 2024–25 season, potatoes were cultivated on 66,280 hectares, yielding over 1.95 million metric tons. By comparison, the 2023–24 season saw 35,930 hectares producing over 1.54 million metric tons.

The Rangpur Department of Agricultural Marketing reports that the district’s 40 cold storages have a combined capacity of 461,747 metric tons. As of July 31, a total of 423,918 metric tons of potatoes were already in storage.

With favorable weather, new potatoes are expected to enter the market by late November, sharply reducing demand for older stock. Stakeholders say the government’s current measures may be the last resort to stabilize prices.

Md Masud Sultan, Deputy Director of Seed Marketing at the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (Rangpur region), warned that “because farmers are not receiving fair prices, the upcoming potato season is also likely to be negatively affected.”