Sharp fall in potol prices frustrates growers

Potol (pointed gourd) growers of Dinajpur and Rangpur districts have been deprived of fair price of the vegetable as the price dropped alarmingly this season.

"We got better yield this year, but the price is too low, although it was higher earlier," said Litu Mia of Ghugudanga village under Dinajpur Sadar upazila, a village that is famous for producing vegetables.

According to officials of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) of Dinajpur and Rangpur, 901 hectares of land were brought under potol farming this year in these two districts. Of them, 417 hectares are in Dinajpur and 484 hectares in Rangpur. The area went up by 101 hectares from last year.

Total production target is 9,315 tonnes (15.5 tonne/hectare), and nearly 40 percent of the crop has been harvested so far, the DAE official said.

But the situation is frustrating for the farmers as they are compelled to sell their produce to the traders from their field at Tk 100 to Tk 160 per maund. This could discourage farmers from cultivating potol in the next season.

Most of the potol growers claimed that they made no profit during the current season.

The price is between Tk 200 and Tk 220 per maund in the wholesale markets, while it is Tk 8 per kilogram in the retail market.

"It would be perfect for us if potol price was around Tk 10 to Tk 12 per kilogram," said Emdad Mia, a farmer of Mazadanga village under Biral upazila of Dinajpur district. This year, he spent around Tk 10,000 for farming potol but sold his produce for only Tk 8,500.

Earlier, the market was better, but the price dropped suddenly, said Anwarul Islam, a wholesaler who buys potol directly from farmers at the village.

The situation is worse in Rangpur, where farmers are selling potol at Tk 80 per maund. "If you hire a labourer, it will cost you Tk 350 per day, which is equivalent to nearly four and a half maunds of potol," said Arman Ali of Dhalarpara village under Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur.

A month ago the price was around Tk 800 per maund, he added.

Traders of wholesale and retail markets of Dinajpur and Rangpur said transportation is eating up all the money. "We make a profit of Tk 1 or Tk 2 per kilogram at most," a trader said.

Officials of DAE said there was plenty of potol production this year, and the markets see huge supply during the month of Ramadan. Price may go up from mid-July, they added.