Potato may be a better choice

The steep rise in rice prices worldwide and also in Bangladesh , have forced the people, the civil society leaders and government to modify our dietary patterns . Potatoes have always been a rich source of carbohydrates and are richer in other health-giving nutrients than rice. As such the government’s initiative in organising the Bangladesh Potato Campaign 2008, has been a very timely and necessary step. This is expected to strengthen food security for the people of our country in the future . The Bangladesh Potato Campaign has been launched by the Ministry of Agriculture , the Ministry of Defence, and the Food and Agricultural Organisation , have jointly organised the three-day launching of the campaign on Wednesday , where the Agriculture Adviser and the Chief of Army Staff inaugurated the launching ceremony, and spoke on the occasion. The Adviser and the Chief of Army Staff have always been keen advocates of potato as a staple item of our diet. To make the campaign a success, potato cultivation techniques and preservation facilities have to be modernised and enhanced , with incentive for farmers and traders in potatoes. .Also cooking methods and new dishes have to be made familiar to the people so that they enjoy potato-based dishes and cut down substantially on the consumption of rice . Potato production has increased substantially in Asia , which now produces fifty per cent of the total world production In Bangladesh , in the last one year , the potato production in the country increased by sixty per cent, which is over two per cent of the global production and five per cent of the total production in Asia.This year’s bumper potato production has raised the issue of efficient preservation and distribution of potatoes. While rice warehousing and marketing is a simpler affair , for potatoes efficient technological support is necessary. The government now needs to provide assistance to farmers and traders for efficient and enhanced production , preservation and distribution of potatoes . The private sector should also come forward to make the move a success.