Govt mulling subsidy for potato growers: Jahangir

The government is considering providing subsidies or incentives to potato growers who suffered losses in the last season, said Agriculture Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.

He said this at a press conference on the overall agriculture situation at the Department of Agricultural Extension at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Sunday, December 7.

Jahangir said, "Farmers incurred heavy losses in potato cultivation. That is why we have a plan to give subsidies to them.”

The adviser also stated that they told the cold storage owners to keep potatoes there until December so that the farmers can sell their entire potatoes, aimed at ensuring fair prices for the growers.

Asked how farmers will be given subsidies, he replied, “We are thinking about this.”

He noted that the prices of potato seeds are lower than last year's. A carton of potato seeds was priced at Tk 40,000 to 42,000 last year, and this year, the same is Tk 12,000 per carton.

Saying he told traders to display prices on labels, the adviser warned of taking strict action against them if they do not comply with the direction.

RMM/MSU