Gaibandha potato farmers face heavy loss for storage cirisis

Potato farmers in Gaibandha are grappling with massive financial losses due to a dire shortage of cold storage space, despite a bumper harvest this season. With the local market saturated and homes already overflowing with potatoes, many farmers are unable to find any remaining storage capacity. Desperate, they are camped out day and night on the roads, hoping to secure storage slips. Those who can’t find space are being forced to sell their potatoes at significantly reduced prices, incurring severe losses.

The Gaibandha Agricultural Extension Department reported that potato cultivation this season covered a total of 14,497 hectares across the district, with an expected yield of over 200,000 metric tonnes. The breakdown of cultivation by upazila is as follows: 48 hectares in Fulchhari, 327 hectares in Saghata, 1,079 hectares in Sundarganj, 9,318 hectares in Gobindaganj, 1,220 hectares in Palashbari, 2,250 hectares in Sadullapur, and 255 hectares in Gaibandha Sadar. Despite meeting the local demand, farmers are left with a surplus they cannot store.

In an attempt to secure better prices for their produce, many farmers are turning to the five cold storage facilities in the district: RV Cold Storage in Sadullapur, Himadri Cold Storage in Gobindaganj, Gobindaganj Cold Storage-1, Gobindaganj Cold Storage-2, and Ashraf Ali Cold Storage in Sundarganj. However, only a lucky few have managed to secure space. Despite the high fees, the majority of farmers remain unable to store their potatoes.

The five cold storage units in Gaibandha have a combined storage capacity of just 46,760 metric tonnes, with individual capacities of 7,000, 8,000, 10,000, 10,000, and 11,760 metric tonnes, respectively. This means only around a quarter of the total potato harvest can be stored, leaving approximately 150,000 metric tonnes without space. Amid the crisis, cold storage owners have reportedly increased the price of storage slips, further complicating the situation for farmers.

On the Dhaka-Rangpur highway, chaos has ensued, with hundreds of trucks, vans, and tractors loaded with potato sacks lined up in front of the cold storage facilities, waiting for their turn to secure space.

Farmer Hamidul Rahman expressed his frustration, saying, “We’re in trouble after harvesting potatoes. Market prices are low, and if we sell now, we’ll lose our capital and suffer huge losses. That’s why we are waiting day and night in front of cold storages for slips.”

The situation is particularly dire in Gobindaganj, where farmers are especially worried due to a record-high harvest. Many had planted potatoes on a larger scale, hoping for good prices, but now they are struggling to find storage space in the area’s four cold storage facilities.

Farmers have accused cold storage owners of reserving space only for those with connections or those willing to pay bribes. They claim a lack of oversight has allowed such practices to proliferate.

Himadri Limited’s manager, Mozammel Haque, denied the allegations, stating, “Booking slips have run out. As in previous years, we’ve provided slips to traders, but the number is much lower this year. There has been no black market sale of booking slips.”

Gobindaganj Cold Storage manager Sajib also refuted the claims, saying, “This year, we are prioritizing local farmers. We have not given any cards to hoarders. If farmers bring 5 to 10 sacks of potatoes, they won’t face issues storing them. Our two storages have a total capacity of about 350,000 sacks. So far, 120,000 sacks have been booked.”

Khorshed Alam, deputy director of the Agricultural Extension Department, acknowledged that due to the bumper harvest, some potatoes may have to remain outside storage. However, he assured farmers that authorities would assist in storing seed potatoes if necessary. “We are advising farmers on natural preservation methods that can keep potatoes for up to three months,” he added.

As the crisis deepens, farmers continue to endure significant losses, with no immediate solution in sight. The situation is putting immense pressure on the region’s potato supply chain, and unless urgent measures are taken, it is likely to worsen, causing further financial hardship for farmers and a potential market disruption.