Potash fertiliser crisis hits potato farming in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI, Nov 18: Acute crisis of Potash (MoP) fertiliser is prevailing in the district, hampering potato cultivation.
Due to increased demand,  a bag of MoP that was sold at  Tk 750 is now selling at Tk 1,100-1,200.
Farmers are showing their less interest in farming potato at the high cost of fertiliser.
But the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE)-Rajshahi said, there is no crisis of fertiliser; farmers are being made aware of not applying excessive fertiliser; all types of assistance will be provided in getting required fertiliser.
As potato cultivation is being reduced, mustard farming is set to be double. In order to reduce dependency of edible oil import, the DAE has been laying most emphasis on mustard farming.
According to the DAE, this year 37,180 hectares (ha) of land have been targeted for potato cultivation in Rajshahi, which is less by 363 ha than last year's 38,543 ha.
Potato cultivation has just started in the district in the last week. So far 185 ha have already been cultivated. The farming will continue for the whole November.
Tanore Upazila of the district is third in potato farming in the country. One Tushar Ahmed of Amsho Village in the upazila said, "I will farm potato on five bighas this year. I have already prepared my land, but I have not got adequate potash. Potato farming requires increased potash. Standing in queue, I have got two bags of potash; I have purchased five bags from other place at Tk 1,200 per bag."
Asaduzzaman of Mandumala Village said, "We have to get fertiliser from the dealer by standing in queue. Despite that we are not getting it as per my requirement."
At least Tk 500 is counted extra for purchasing per bag fertiliser from the outside, he added.
Nazmul Hossain of Mollapara Village said, "I have decided to farm potato on 20 bighas this year. I will start sowing seed within two/three days. But I am not getting fertiliser according to my demand."
"I have purchased 20 bags from other trader at Tk 1,150 per bag. I need at least 30 more  bags. But I am in tension whether I will get profit by farming potato at such increased cost," he added. Tanore Upazila Agriculture Officer Saifullah Ahmed said, "A little crisis of fertiliser is here. But it will not last. We're trying to reach fertiliser to farmers properly."
Potato grower Akbar Hossain at Poba said, "Fertiliser is available but at a high price. Already all things are on high prices. If the fertiliser price is high, we will be affected."
DAE's Information Officer Umme Salma said, "There is no crisis of fertiliser. We are discouraging farmers to use excessive fertiliser. Excessive fertiliser use damages land and add additional cost, but do not enhance yielding. We're trying to ensure required fertiliser for farmers through dealers."
"In order to reduce imported edible oil dependency, we have concentrated on mustard cultivation," she added.
This year's mustard farming target has been double compared to the last year's, she further said. Potato farming begins. Both potato and mustard grow at a time, she maintained. In the last year, mustard was farmed on 26,056 ha in the district. This year the mustard cultivation target has been fixed at Tk 40,250 ha.
Mustard cultivation requires much less fertilizer than potato, the information officer said.