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, December 18 — The expense of a government initiative aimed at enhancing the production, storage, and distribution of high-quality seed potatoes has risen significantly because of ongoing delays in its execution.

As per official records, the total projected cost has increased to Tk 1,138.74 crore with the most recent update, compared to the initially approved amount of Tk 688.21 crore.

The initiative named “Enhancing the Production, Conservation, and Farmer-Directed Dissemination of High-Quality Seed Potatoes” has completed its second update.

In addition to the rising costs, the project’s completion date has been pushed back by an additional two years.

The Ministry of Agriculture is the supporting department, while the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation is responsible for carrying out the project.

The expenditure of the project was initially adjusted to Tk 727.43 crore.

Ongoing delays, resulting from prolonged construction timelines, increased infrastructure requirements, and elevated operating costs, have significantly raised the planned budget, according to officials.

The majority of the updated expenses will be covered by government funding, with a smaller portion sourced from the BADC’s internal resources.

The initial implementation phase took place between September 2019 and June 2024.

It was subsequently extended to June 2025 and has now been additionally delayed until June 2027.

Individuals participating in the initiative mentioned that the prolonged schedule has led to increased expenses, mainly in areas such as cold storage development, automation, power supply, on-farm seed production, and transportation costs.

One of the primary motivations behind the recent update is the choice to build more cold storage units in order to achieve the government’s goal of supplying 60,000 metric tons of seed potatoes to farmers by 2030.

Current and continuing facilities managed by BADC are anticipated to offer a storage capacity of slightly more than 53,000 tonnes.

To resolve the shortage, four more cold storage facilities will be constructed.

The initiative focuses on specific districts and upazilas across eight regions.

Its goals involve enhancing the accessibility of disease-free, premium seed potatoes, boosting contemporary storage facilities, and elevating farmers’ expertise via education and practical showcases.

Although expenses have increased, the Planning Commission has looked upon the updated project favorably.

By June 2025, financial progress was almost at 88 percent, whereas physical progress was approximately 95 percent.

The committee stated that completing the project successfully would enhance potato production, reinforce modern and sustainable storage methods, and support national food security.

Authorities stated that the updated schedule is essential to guarantee the accurate completion of additional infrastructure, such as cold storage facilities in northern and central regions, upgrades to existing structures, and the implementation of solar energy in specific storage units.

They claimed that without the extension, realizing the planned advantages of the increased investment would be challenging.

The initiative aims to deliver wider economic and social advantages through enhanced seed quality, more consistent crop outputs, generating job opportunities in rural areas, and expanding farmers’ availability of improved potato types.

Potatoes are the leading vegetable crop in Bangladesh and an essential component of food security. This year’s output hit a record 1.12 crore metric tonnes, exceeding domestic needs by approximately 22 lakh metric tonnes.

The area under cultivation increased by 8 percent compared to the previous year, reaching 4.92 lakh hectares in the fiscal year 2024-25, while overall production grew by 9 percent from 1.06 crore tonnes in the preceding period, as reported by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.