In one of Bangladesh’s largest potato-producing regions, farmers and traders in Sirajdikhan upazila of Munshiganj are facing severe financial losses after storing their produce in cold storages with hopes of higher profits. Expecting prices to rise, many held onto their stock for months. Now, with prices stagnant and storage contracts nearing expiration, the potatoes have become a major liability.
The new potato planting season is fast approaching, as farmers prepare to sow fresh crops in November and December. However, if the stored potatoes are not removed from cold storage by October 30, the contractual storage period will expire. Selling now means an average loss of at least Tk 750 per 50-kg sack, leaving most farmers and traders unwilling to collect their produce.
According to the upazila agriculture office, last year potatoes were cultivated on 8,890 hectares of land in Sirajdikhan, yielding 284,480 tons. Many farmers sold their harvest directly from the field, while others stored them for better returns. Currently, around 763,000 sacks of potatoes—equivalent to about 38,150 tons—remain stored across 10 local cold storages. Based on the current rate of loss per sack, the total financial damage stands at approximately Tk 60 crore.
Ashraf Uddin Jhontu, a potato trader from Latabdi Union, said, “This year I stored 6,000 sacks of potatoes. I sold 1,000 sacks, but 5,000 are still in storage at Neptune Cold Storage. With storage rent costing Tk 300 per sack, my total expense per sack reached Tk 1,100. If I sell now, I would lose Tk 900 per sack, meaning a total loss of around Tk 50 lakh this season.”
Similar stories are echoed by nearly 10,000 potato farmers and traders in the upazila, most reporting cumulative losses of around Tk 60 crore. Mehedi Hasan Hira, a potato trader and union council member from Ichapura Union, said, “I stored 2,700 sacks at Nahar Cold Storage and incurred a loss of Tk 13 lakh. I have never seen such heavy losses before.”
Farmer Jalal Uddin from Bhuyira village in Boyraga Union shared, “I stored 700 sacks of potatoes at Foyez Cold Storage. I sold 400 sacks at Tk 11 per kg, but the current market price is only Tk 8–9 per kg. Selling now would mean pure loss.”
Abdur Rahim, supervisor of Foyez Cold Storage in Talatala Bazaar, said, “Although the government set the retail potato price at Tk 22 per kg, it has not been implemented. Due to weak market monitoring, prices are falling every day, hurting both farmers and storage owners.”
Sirajdikhan Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Abu Sayeed Shubhra confirmed that the bumper harvest has caused a market glut. “The government has fixed the price at Tk 22 per kg, and we are displaying banners and posters to enforce it,” he said. “However, as there is an oversupply of potatoes nationwide, buyers are reluctant to pay higher prices. We are continuously trying to stabilize the market.”
