The Ministry of Agriculture gave an opinion opposing the plan of importing potatoes aiming to control price in the domestic market.
As a result, the Ministry of Commerce could not allow businessmen to import potatoes.
A senior official of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) told UNB on Saturday on condition of not disclosing his identity that Bangladesh has enough potatoes in stock to meet the demand of domestic consumers for the next two months or more time, so there is no need to import potatoes.
The official said new potato varieties will be starting to arrive in the market at the end of November.
Sources at the DAE said that early varieties of potatoes have been cultivated in some areas of Nilphamari, Thakurgaon, and Panchagarh districts.
The DAE has prepared to bring early varieties of potatoes from these districts to the market in full swing in the last week of November.
In the case of importing agricultural products into the country, permission needs to be taken from the Ministry of Commerce, but permission from the Ministry of Agriculture is required for the import of potatoes and some other agricultural products.
