Farmers producing more, earning less
Bangladesh’s agricultural sector is facing a growing paradox: farmers are producing more, yet earning less. This contradiction came into sharp focus during discussions at the Deputy Commissioners’ Conference 2026, where officials acknowledged that record harvests are not translating into fair returns for growers.
The potato sector illustrates the problem most clearly. Despite achieving bumper production this season, farmers across multiple districts have struggled to recover even their basic costs.
The issue is not a lack of output, but a failure of systems that connect production to markets. Inadequate cold storage facilities, weak supply chains, and the dominance of intermediaries have created a situation where prices collapse at the farm level while remaining relatively stable for consumers.
This imbalance exposes a deeper structural weakness in Bangladesh’s agricultural economy. Farmers often operate with limited storage capacity, forcing them to sell immediately after harvest when supply is highest and prices are lowest.
Speaking to The New Nation, State Minister for Food Abdul Bari said that without sufficient government-backed procurement or price support mechanisms, they have little bargaining power in the market.
He said, “Monitoring should be strengthened by Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners.”
The government has acknowledged the crisis and is exploring solutions, including expanding export markets and improving storage infrastructure. Plans to boost potato exports are being considered as a way to absorb excess supply and stabilize domestic prices.
However, such measures typically take time to materialise and may not provide immediate relief to farmers already facing losses.
Beyond potatoes, the issue reflects a broader pattern affecting other crops as well. When production rises without parallel improvements in logistics, marketing, and price stabilization policies, farmers bear the cost of inefficiency. This discourages investment in agriculture and can undermine long-term food security.
The situation also raises questions about policy coordination. While financial assistance programs—such as those announced for farmers in disaster-affected haor regions—offer temporary relief, they do not address the root causes of market volatility. Sustainable solutions will require a more integrated approach, combining infrastructure development, market reform, and stronger regulatory oversight.
Ultimately, the challenge is not just to increase agricultural output, but to ensure that farmers benefit from what they produce. Without fair pricing and reliable market access, higher production will continue to translate into lower incomes, deepening the very rural hardship that agricultural growth is meant to reduce.
