Agriculture Minister. Md. Abdur Razzak said that at present more than 10 million tons of improved varieties of potatoes are produced annually. But the demand in the country is about 60-70 lakh tons. Due to the high water content in the potatoes produced in the country, the demand abroad is less. Therefore, considering the demand of foreign countries, importance is being given to increase the cultivation and production of potatoes for export and industrial use.
He said this after inspecting the seed potato production farm of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) in Domar upazila of Nilphamari on Wednesday morning.
The Minister also visited potato plots for export and industrial use, museum of potato crops, dragon and date orchards. He also visited Almond, Sweet Potato, Coffee Cultivation, Processing and Training Workshop for Farmers at Tistapara in Debiganj Upazila of Panchagarh District, Bari Seed Growth Farm, Wheat and Maize Seed Production Farm.
The Minister said that under BADC standard seed potato production and storage and strengthening distribution at farmer level, base seed potato is being produced at Domar farm. Besides, trial plots are being set up and monitored to test the suitability of new varieties. In addition, under the project, seed potatoes used at the farmer level are being produced in 28 zones across the country through contract farmers.
He said that under this project, 300 demonstration plots and multilocation tests are being conducted across the country this year with 20 potential varieties of BADC imported and Bari developed for identification and popularization of high yielding, export and industrial use potato varieties.
At the Secretary of Agriculture. Mezbahul Islam, BADC chairman. Saidul Islam, Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension. Asadullah, Director General of Bari Nazirul Islam, Director General of the Wheat and Corn Research Institute. Md. Esrail Hossain and others were present.
