Aiming to give a boost to potato exports, the government has decided to provide all sorts of support for its export and processing as the crop’s annual production surged past one crore metric tonnes in the country.

“Over one crore tonnes of potato are produced annually in Bangladesh. But we need to import potato chips and pringles at high prices. Local firms will have to produce quality chips, pringles and French fry processing potato with added values,” said Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque on Sunday.

The minister said this while addressing a views-exchange at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) auditorium over the enhancement of potato-processing.

He also stressed the need for the diversified use of potato and finding out formulas to produce other products by it.

Dr Razzaque said there was a lack of good quality potato in the country in the past, which was a large barrier to its export and processing. But its high-yielding varieties have already been brought from foreign sources.

Read: Agriculture Minister eyes export potential of potatoes

Describing potato as a very potential crop, he said Bangladesh’s weather and soil are very suitable for its farming. “If we can expand its market, it would be possible to boost its production,” he said.

The minister said the prices of potato are low this year and the farmers and the cold storage owners are worried over its sale. “So, the potato market will have to be expanded both at home and abroad,” he said.

A total of 1.06 crore tonnes of potato was produced in the country in the 2020-21 fiscal year, but only 55,000 tonnes were exported fetching US$ 51 million, according to the data shared at the programme.