The 2024 potato season has delivered a record harvest across Bangladesh, with over 12 million tonnes produced nationwide, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE). Potatoes were cultivated on 524,000 hectares, a 15% increase over last year. However, what should have been a season of prosperity has become a crisis for thousands of farmers—cold storage shortages, lack of export outlets, and price manipulation have turned their bumper crop into a burden.
A Glut with Nowhere to Go
Bangladesh’s cold storage infrastructure remains woefully inadequate. The 350 operational cold storages in the country have a combined capacity of only 3 to 4 million tonnes, far short of the current production levels. This mismatch has left an estimated 8 million tonnes of potatoes at risk of spoilage.
In districts like Bogura, Munshiganj, Cumilla, and Rangpur, farmers are storing hundreds of maunds of potatoes in their homes, yards, and makeshift sheds, hoping for a price recovery that may never come.
Farmer Sajjad Hossain from Cumilla reported spending Tk 750 per maund on production, but current market prices offer only Tk 550–600, resulting in a loss of up to Tk 150 per maund. Others, like Babu Mia of Bogura, say they invested Tk 230,000 in production but are only able to recover around Tk 130,000, highlighting losses of over 40%.
Storage Monopoly and Market Exploitation
Many farmers accuse cold storage operators and middlemen of monopolizing storage slots through advance booking quotas, often at the expense of local growers. Despite visiting multiple facilities, farmers are routinely turned away because storages are “fully booked.”
“Even farmers who bought storage slips are being denied access now,” said Abbas Mia of Munshiganj. “The syndicates control everything—we are left powerless.”
The Cold Storage Association estimates that many facilities are overwhelmed due to potatoes being shipped in from other districts, exacerbating the space crunch for local producers.
Temporary and Risky Alternatives
Officials are advising farmers to use local storage solutions, such as storing in sacks or on raised platforms. While this method can help preserve potatoes for up to three months, farmers fear weather damage, pests, and additional costs.
“If it rains before I can sell, my entire harvest could rot,” said Sajjad. Similarly, Tofazzal Hossain from Bogura worries that pests will force him to use more chemicals, further inflating costs.
Calls for Export Expansion
In the face of a market collapse, farmers and industry leaders are urging the government to expand export opportunities as a solution to the oversupply crisis.
Last year, Bangladesh exported 17,138 tonnes of potatoes to countries like Malaysia, Bahrain, Singapore, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. While notable, this volume represents less than 0.15% of current production.
Agricultural officials, including Md Nazmul Haque of the DAE in Bogura, say they are now working to connect farmers with exporters. However, the pace of these efforts appears slow relative to the urgency on the ground.
“Without export, this entire surplus will go to waste before December,” warned Jahangir Sarkar Montu, head of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh in Munshiganj.
Systemic Challenges Require Systemic Solutions
The current crisis has laid bare structural weaknesses in Bangladesh’s post-harvest agricultural infrastructure:
- Insufficient cold storage capacity for modern production volumes.
- Lack of regulatory oversight, allowing syndicates and middlemen to manipulate the market.
- Inadequate export pipelines, which could otherwise stabilize domestic prices and generate foreign income.
Unless these structural issues are addressed, future bumper harvests may bring hardship rather than prosperity.
The plight of Bangladesh’s potato farmers underscores a harsh truth: high yields alone do not guarantee profitability. Without adequate storage, fair pricing, and market access—both domestic and international—surplus turns into loss.
To secure the livelihoods of farmers and stabilize the agricultural sector, Bangladesh must invest in cold chain infrastructure, regulate storage allocations, and aggressively pursue export partnerships. Only then can the country transform its agricultural potential into real economic gain.
