Potato farmers in four districts of Rajshahi Agriculture zone in northern Bangladesh are reportedly forced to purchase fertilizers with prices soaring far above government-set rates. During the peak potato-growing season, farmers are paying Tk.200 to Tk. 450 extra per bag, citing worsening shortages as a significant challenge.
Meanwhile, agriculture officials of the zone stated that overuse of fertilizer by the farmers is exacerbating the scarcity.
Dealers of the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) said that they did not receive any allocation of DAP fertilizer in November, compelling them to rely on Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) to meet demand.
The Rajshahi agricultural region, comprising the districts of Chapainawabganj, Naogaon, Natore and Rajshahi, produces approximately 80% of the country's total potato in conjunction with the Rangpur division.
According to data from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Bangladesh produced 1.06 lakh tonnes of potatoes in the 2023–24 fiscal year. Of this, 79 lakh tonnes came from Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions. For the 2024–25 season, the government has set a target of producing 98.55 lakh tonnes of potatoes in these two divisions, covering 365,000 hectares of land.
The Rajshahi divisional office of the DAE reports that the government allocated 14,374 tonnes of MOP (potash), 25,600 tonnes of DAP and 9,286 tonnes of TSP fertilizers for the region. By December, 31,288 tonnes of DAP and 9,817 tonnes of TSP are expected to be allocated.
Despite these allocations, fertilizer shortages persist in certain districts and the farmers are buying this at an increased price.
Farrmers said, while the government-fixed rates for MOP, DAP, and TSP are Tk1,00, Tk1,050 and Tk 1,350 per bag, respectively, farmers are paying up to Tk.1,180, Tk1,300 and Tk1,700. Farmer Zakaria Rahman from Bagmara of Rajshahi shared as true such a price list.
Potato cultivation requires substantial quantities of three main fertilizers: MOP, DAP and TSP. As a result, often panicked farmers are forced to travel long distances to procure these due to shortages at localityand must pay inflated prices.
The officials of this department stated that potato cultivation is not uniform across all districts. Surplus fertilizer can be redistributed from one district to another. Therefore, a fertilizer shortage is unlikely to arise in this situation.
Overuse of Fertilizer is instrumental
Agricultural experts are alarmed by the overuse of fertilizers in potato fields, which is both wasteful as well as harmful to the soil. This also is helping to create a crisis of things.
Ataur Rahman, an assistant agricultural officer in Tanore, notes that farmers are applying nearly 100 kg of MOP, 50 kg of DAP, and a full bag of TSP per bigha of land—double the recommended amounts.
He explains that such overuse is unnecessary and burdens the fertilizer supply chain.
However, many farmers also admit to using fertilizers based on traditional methods or by observing their neighbours’ practices, contributing to excessive application.
The DAE recommends applying 24 kg each of MOP and TSP and 20 kg of DAP per bigha. Using more than this is deemed wasteful.
DAE Deputy Director Umme Salma highlights that applying TSP and DAP together is unnecessary, as both contain phosphates. Overuse not only fails to improve yields but also harms the soil.
Dr. Dipak Kumar Pal, a professor of applied nutrition and food science at Islamic University in Kushtia warns that excessive fertilizer use depletes the soil's top layer, reducing its productivity.
The DAE Deputy Director of Rajshahi said that her office is conducting awareness programmes including group and yard meetings, to educate farmers on proper fertilizer use.
However, officials note that many farmers remain reluctant to change their practices despite these efforts.