Daily Bangla Times:

Agriculture scientists have said they successfully carried out test production of 17 new potato varieties in southwestern Gopalganj in industrial scale as experts found the staples export prospect for extra nutrition qualities.

 Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) officials and farmers said currently the country produces only few potato verities while they expect the new varieties of bigger sizes could explore new export destinations because of their extra nutrient values and higher production compared to existing varieties.

"Seventeen new potato varieties are likely to contribute to make agriculture commercial and smart," BADC's Deputy Director of Gopalganj Potato Cold Storage Dipankar Roy said.

The newly developed potato varieties are - BADC potato 1 (Sunshine), BADC potato 7 (Queen ani), BADC potato 5 (Edison), BADC potato 8 (Labella), Rashida, Bari Alu 41, Seven Four Seven, Bari Alu 62, Fontaine, BADC Alu 3 (Santana), Aluite, BADC Alu 10 (Alkandar), Bari Alu 79, Diamond, Carolus, Bari Alu 40 and Asterix.

The new varieties of potatoes can be exported abroad. These potatoes suitable for industrial use and will be sold at a higher price. Every year, three million tonnes of surplus potatoes are produced in the country compared to the demand. If these potatoes are exported abroad, the demand for potatoes in the international market will increase.

Farmers will get fair price of potato from country market and farmers will benefit from good price of potato. This potato will contribute to making agriculture commercial and smart, said Dipankar Roy, Deputy Director of Gopalganj Potato Cold Storage of Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation.

This new varieties of potato have high dry matter content. So, without importing potato powder from abroad, companies can make chips using this new types of potato in the country.

"It will be possible to create our potato market abroad especially in European market with this new potato. Europeans buy potatoes by color, size and shape. A new variety of potato has this quality. So the new type of potato market will be created in Europe" he added.

Potato is the staple food of various European countries. If these potatoes are exported there, "we will earn foreign currency. Last year our potatoes were exported to Russia and Europe and we will be able to send new varieties of potatoes to the countries," Dipankar Roy, Deputy Director of BADC said.

The trial of new varieties has been done successfully. There have been bumper yields of new varieties of potatoes, Project director of the 'Quality potato seed production and conservation and strengthening distribution at farmer level' Md. Abir Hossain said.

The new variety of potato has versatile uses and it is eligible for export. New varieties of potatoes have high dry matter content. So this potato will be used in industry and can be used for making-ready-to-eat chips, French fries, potato flakes, potato starch and other foods.

Farmers will get more than double production by cultivating new varieties of potatoes compared to conventional varieties. The variety of potatoes will be sold at a higher price. Farmers will benefit by selling potatoes at higher prices by getting more yield, Md. Abir Hossain said.

Agriculturist Md Imam Hossain, assistant director of Gopalganj BADC potato seed storage said, 'we are producing seed potatoes in Gopalganj. This year, we have produced seed potatoes on 122 acres of land.

Multi location performance trials of the new seventeen varieties of potatoes have been done on one acre and 70 decimal of land and multi-location performance trial has also been a huge success. If cultivation of the new varieties of the potato can be spread across the country, the agriculture sector and the farmers will be benefited.

Md. Shafiqul Islam, a farmer of Manikdah village in Gopalganj, said that the new variety of potato has yielded more than twice as much as the conventional potato. There is no disease in this potato. This potato gives good yield under normal care. So 'I got more yield by cultivating this potato. Seeing the potatoes in my field, many people are showing interest in cultivating the new varieties of potatoes next year.'

"Conventional potato can yield 22 to 25 tonnes per hectare of land. But the new variety of potato has yielded 40 to 53 tonnes. Farmers will benefit from bumper yields by cultivating this variety of potatoes," he said.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kazi Mahbubul Alam said that the country produces more potatoes than the demand. So farmers do not get good prices. As a result, farmers area making losses every year by conventional cultivating potatoes.

DC said, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) has started working with new varieties of potatoes to solve this situation. It can be used in industry and can be exported abroad.

Farmers will benefit from bumper yields as well as selling potatoes at higher prices. This potato will contribute to making agriculture commercial and smart. He called for mechanization in potato production and storage stage while visiting potato multi location performance trial in the district.

Meanwhile, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) sources said in the financial year 2020-21, Bangladesh earned $51 million by exporting only 55,000 tonnes of potatoes but was expected to have fared much better by exporting an estimated 80,000 to 90,000 tonnes.

Bangladesh ships potatoes mainly to Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Nepal also imported 15,000 tonnes of potatoes from Bangladesh in the last fiscal year.