Potato prices drop by Tk15 per kg in Hili in a week

As locally grown new potatoes are beginning to hit the market, the prices dropped by Tk10 to Tk15 per kilogram in the Hili market of Dinajpur within the span of a week.

On Sunday, a visit to the Hili market revealed that every shop was stocked with local varieties of potatoes, including Romana and Carriage.

In some shops, older varieties such as Guti and Cardinal were also available.

However, since the prices are the same, customers are opting for the newer potatoes.

The new Romana and Carriage varieties are being sold at Tk55 to Tk60 per kilogram, while older varieties like Guti and Cardinal are priced at Tk55 per kilogram. Previously, these varieties were sold for Tk65 to Tk70 per kilogram.

Abdur Razzak, a customer buying potatoes at the Hili market, said: "Compared to previous years, the price of potatoes has been the highest this year. I had to buy potatoes at Tk65 to Tk70 per kilogram. Indian potatoes were slightly cheaper. The price of potatoes should ideally stay around Tk20 per kilogram."

Potato seller Mashiur Rahman at Hili market said: "Since December 1, potato imports from India through the Hili border have been stopped. At present, new potatoes have entered the market. This has increased the supply, leading to a drop in prices.”

“Currently, new Romana and Carriage potatoes are being sold at Tk55 to Tk60 per kilogram, while older potatoes are being sold at Tk55 per kilogram. Since the prices of old and new potatoes are the same, customers prefer buying new potatoes. In the coming days, the supply of potatoes will increase further, which is expected to bring the prices down even more,” he added.