Potatoes

![Image Source]

Quality:

1. Potatoes are especially effective in strengthening the body, especially in the spleen and stomach.

2. This plant is useful in the problem of deficiency in kidney function.

3. Its benefits can also be noticed in the case of night blindness. In that case, the patient has to eat sweet potatoes with animals, especially castrated liver.

4. In the villages, even in the cities, it is customary to eat sweet potatoes by burning them in the fire. This method is effective in relieving the common cold and cough.

5. Potatoes help to alleviate the weakness of the spleen and stomach as well as the general weakness of the body.

6. Potatoes contain vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that compensates for the loss of body cells.

7. Potato also eliminates stomach problems.

8. If the skin is burnt somewhere, crushed raw potato can be applied to the burnt area to get relief.

9. Potatoes contain a variety of fatty acids, including vitamin B complex, amino acids, and omega-3s, which help increase brain function.

10. A good source of carbohydrates, protein, calcium, niacin, and vitamin C and vitamin B complex, these potatoes help fight heart disease and keep blood pressure normal.

11. Potatoes do not allow kidney stones to accumulate.

12. In addition to vitamin C and B complex, potatoes contain potassium, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus, which are beneficial for your skin.

### **Introduction as food:**

According to the UN FAO, worldwide potato production in 2013 was 36 million tons. One person eats about 33 kg of potatoes every year.

No	Country	Million metric tons
1	China	88.9
2	India	45.3
3	Russia	30.2
4	Ukraine	22.3
5	United States	19.8
6	Germany	9.7
7	Bangladesh	8.6
8	France	7.0
9	Netherlands	6.8
10	Poland	6.3
	The whole world	368.1

Potato export from Bangladesh:

In 1996, ATDP (Agrobased Technology Development Program) a marketing mission explored the possibility of exporting fresh potatoes from Bangladesh to Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and several countries in the Middle East. In 2005, a significant amount of potatoes was exported. The volume of exports increased to 6 thousand tons in 2006. In 2011, about 20,000 tons of potatoes were exported from Bangladesh through 6 private companies (Bass, Dhaka). Recently, Thailand and Indonesia have also started importing potatoes from Bangladesh. The demand for potatoes in Malaysia alone is 1 million tons, while in Singapore and Sri Lanka the demand is 3 million tons each.

According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), potatoes worth Tk 282 crore were exported from Bangladesh in 2014-15, of which potatoes worth Tk 104 crore were exported to Malaysia and Tk 72 crore to Russia. BADC retired officer said. The Bangladesh Potato Exporters Association has been formed under the leadership of Sheikh Abdul Quader. Which is playing a huge role in the export of potatoes abroad.

At one time a lot of potatoes were exported from Bangladesh to different countries including Russia. But Russia stopped importing potatoes because of a bacterium called Brown Road Disease. However, by overcoming that problem, bacteria-free potatoes are being produced in Bangladesh at present. Russia lifts ban on potato exports from Bangladesh Russia has announced to start importing potatoes from Bangladesh again.

Russia has banned the import of potatoes since May 2015, citing the presence of "harmful bacteria".

Russia lifted the ban on the import of Bangladeshi potatoes in the midst of a series of talks between the two countries and a military operation in Ukraine.

Putin's country has also lifted restrictions on imports of pears from Bosnia, nuts from China, sister and seed fruits from Moldova and Serbia, and apples from Azerbaijan.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, in 2020-21, the country produced 11.3 million tons of potatoes against the demand of 6.8 million tons. The amount of potatoes exported annually is about 1 lakh tons.

Bangladesh usually exports potatoes to Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Maldives, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Ethiopia and Nigeria.

Potato storage condition:

For early export, potatoes need to be planted in such a way that they can be collected from the first week of February.

Potatoes can be harvested from 1st week of November to 2nd week of March by planting in a few steps from 1st week of November to last week. As a result of such planting, raw potatoes can be exported in fresh condition without storing them for a long time.

Characteristics of exportable potatoes:

Potatoes of all varieties and sizes produced in our country are not equally acceptable to the importing country. Granula potatoes are highly valued in Singapore, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Recently, diamond and cardinal varieties of potatoes have been exported to Malaysia. It is suitable for the export of smooth skin potato weighing 100 gm to 150 gm and size 40-60 mm with bright color and shallow-eyed tuber and longer dormancy.

The best time to export potatoes is from February to March because importers prefer fresh potatoes than those stored in cold storage. Within a few days after the potato collection, some abnormalities (deformations) are observed in the size of the potato, especially when frozen potatoes are kept below a certain temperature. Recently, the Commerce Minister said that the government has taken steps to export potatoes during harvest (Harvest Period).

What to do to increase potato exports:

• Establishment of contract growing zone for export of potatoes.
• Release of varieties suitable for export and processing and popularization at farmer level.
• Increase incentive bonus to 10-30% for export of raw potatoes.
• Provide technical assistance to Export Promotion Bureau, Hortex Foundation and Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) for export of raw potatoes.
• The government should take initiative so that new companies can take initiative in potato export.

Thanks All For Visiting My Post