PRODUCTION, MARKETING SYSTEM, STORAGE AND FUTURE ASPECT OF POTATO IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

Potato (Solanum tuberosum), is the most consumed vegetable in Bangladesh throughout the year round. Due to the suitable environment, potato production is increased day by day and in 2019 Bangladesh became the seventh largest potato producing country in the world. Now the amount of production is more than the demand and hence from recent few years Bangladesh starts to exports potato and its associated food products to the different countries in the world. Unemployment problem is very common in the developing countries like Bangladesh but potato gives an opportunity to solve the problem and also help to eradicate the situation of hunger. Though bumper harvest of potato is very common in Bangladesh but the growers are sometimes devoid of to get the fair price due to the extreme margin by the middlemen. Hence, the aim of this study is to examine the present situation of potato production, storage, marketing system, and export. The major findings of this study are as follows: Firstly, poor transportation system, inadequate storage facilities, lack of capital, lack of knowledge of farmers about market price, illiteracy, and syndicate system of middlemen are some key factors for inefficient marketing system of potato in Bangladesh. Secondly, giving the increased important in potato is not the ultimate solution, instantly improve the marketing mechanism of potato is required for Bangladesh. Finally, it is exigent that government needs to take the obligatory steps for the sustainable production and marketing system of potato in Bangladesh.