Potato farmers, who expanded their cultivation significantly in November due to high prices, are now struggling with a drastic price drop that has pushed them into financial distress. Despite planting potatoes on a record 5.24 lakh hectares, a 15% increase from last year, many farmers are being forced to sell at prices below production costs. In Dhaka, potatoes are being sold for Tk 20 to Tk 30 per kg, while in areas like Rangpur and Dinajpur, prices have fallen as low as Tk 11 per kg, well below the production cost of Tk 15 per kg. Farmers are now hoping for price recovery or government support. The rise in production costs, including the steep increase in potato seed prices from Tk 35-40 per kg last season to Tk 80 per kg this season, has compounded the problem. Other factors like labor and pesticide costs have also contributed to higher expenses. Although the total production is expected to reach 1.20 crore tonnes, surpassing the country's annual demand of 90 lakh tonnes, the oversupply and insufficient storage facilities have left farmers with little relief. With some farmers unable to recover their costs, there is growing frustration about the lack of government control over fertilizer and seed prices. While officials from the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM) and Ministry of Agriculture acknowledge the difficulties, they remain hopeful that prices will improve as the season progresses. However, the situation is further complicated by rising cold storage fees and a gap in production and demand data. Experts suggest that the government needs to implement measures to address these challenges, ensuring that such losses do not become a recurring issue for farmers in the future.