Farmers of four northern districts have started early potato cultivation this year for getting good profit from this robi crop due to high demand at the onset of winter, farmers said.

"We earned good profit in the last season cultivating early potatoes," said Julfiquar Ali, a farmer of Jamalganj village in Akkelpur upazila of Joypurhat.

Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Rangpur, Dinajpur, Joypurhat and Naogaon said farmers of these districts usually start early potato cultivation at the end of September and continue till Octobe., They can harvest the crop from mid-November.

Last year, early potato was cultivated on 36,000 acres of land in the four districts.

During a visit to different areas in Dinajpur and Rangpur district, this correspondent saw farmers passing busy time planting potato seeds or preparing their land for planting the early varieties of potatoes. 

Potato seeds on sale at Railbazarhat in the town. The photos were taken on Friday. Photo: Star

"I sold early potatoes at Tk 1,600 per maund last year, and I am expecting the same price this year," said Abu Kalam of Taraganj upazila in Rangpur. This year, he cultivated potatoes on two acres, he added.

Farmers prefer to plant aristisca, ganola and romana varieties as they have good yield. If the weather remains favourable, production will be good, they said.

"Price of potato seeds remained low from end of September through October. But it will go up when potato planting starts in full swing in early December," said Toffazzal Hossain, a potato seed trader at Railbazarhat in Dinajpur town. 

The seeds cost between Tk 1,500 and Tk 1,700 per maund, depending on quality, he added.

Many farmers who wanted to cultivate early varieties of potatoes bought seeds from Railbazarhat. "Seed price is reasonable," said Saiful Islam, a farmer of Bangibechaghat area in Dinajpur Sadar upazila.

DAE officials in Dinajpur, Rangpur, Joypurhat and Naogaon said potato was cultivated on 2.9 hectares of land last year. Their offices are yet to fix this year's target.

Farmers got 22.7 tonnes of potato per hectare last year.

The potatoes which were produced last season are now being sold in local markets at between Tk 20 and Tk 25, said AK Azad, a customer from Dinajpur town.

"We suffered heavy losses in the last two seasons due to political unrest, but we expect good price of our produce this season," said Azizur Rahman of Chehelgazi village under Dinajpur Sadar upazila.