Cold storage shortage puts produce of Moulvibazar farmers at risk  

KAMALGANJ, MOULVIBAZAR, Oct 21: Farmers in Sreemangal and Kamalganj are producing large quantities of vegetables, fruits and potatoes, but the lack of cold storage facilities is preventing them from getting fair prices for their produce.

The two upazilas have favourable weather, fertile soil and hilly terrain, allowing farmers to grow crops throughout the year, including potatoes, tomatoes, bitter gourds, beans, lemons and pineapples.

However, farmers often have to sell their produce at low prices during peak harvest periods as there is no facility to preserve the crops for later sale.

Large quantities of vegetables and fruits are produced in Adamapur, Madhabpur, Alinagar, Islampur and Rahimpur unions of Kamalganj. Farmers in different hilly areas of Sreemangal are also engaged in commercial cultivation.

Farmers said many growers bring the same crops to markets at the same time during harvest, causing supply to rise and prices to fall sharply. Since most vegetables and fruits are highly perishable, farmers have little choice but to sell them immediately, even when prices are below production costs.

“I work very hard to grow crops, but when prices fall, I have nothing to do because there is no storage facility,” said Abdul Matin, a tomato farmer in Kamalganj.

“If there were a cold storage facility, I could preserve my produce and sell it later at a better price,” he said.
Another farmer, Karim Mia, said large quantities of tomatoes arrive in the market simultaneously during the season, pushing down prices.

“If we had a cold storage facility, we could keep the tomatoes for several days instead of selling them immediately. This would help us get fair prices,” he said.

Potato growers are also struggling. Farmers said they cannot preserve locally produced potato seeds and have to collect seeds from other districts every season, increasing production costs and dependence on outside markets.

They said locally produced potatoes could be preserved and used as seeds for the following season. Potatoes could also be stored when prices are low and sold later when prices rise.

The problem is particularly serious for perishable crops such as tomatoes, bitter gourds and beans, whose quality deteriorates quickly without proper storage.

Local sources said several government-level discussions have taken place over establishing cold storage facilities in Sreemangal and Kamalganj. Initiatives were also taken to identify suitable locations and submit proposals, but no facility has yet been established.

Sreemangal Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Alauddin said they were aware of farmers’ losses caused by spoiled lemons, pineapples and seasonal vegetables.

“Based on farmers’ demands, we have already sent a written proposal to the higher authorities in the ministry for establishing a cold storage facility in Sreemangal,” he said.

Kamalganj Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Rakibul Islam said a cold storage facility was urgently needed in the area.
“I have already informed the higher authorities. They told us that they are considering the matter seriously,” he said.

Kamalganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sandip Talukdar said the district administration had also been informed about the need for a cold storage facility.

Md Jalal Uddin, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Moulvibazar, said they had been raising the issue at different government forums.

“As agricultural production is high in Kamalganj, Sreemangal and Kulaura, farmers in these areas would benefit most from such a facility,” he said.

He said the government could initially establish a cold storage facility in any one of the upazilas with high agricultural production.

“This would allow farmers to preserve their produce and reduce the pressure to sell crops at low prices during the peak season,” he said.