Rajshahi potato traders halt cold storage operations over storage fee dispute

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Potato traders in Rajshahi have halted all sales and distribution activities at the district’s cold storage facilities for the second consecutive day, demanding a reduction in storage fees. The protest, organized by the Rajshahi District Potato and Raw Materials Traders Cooperative Society, has effectively brought trade to a standstill at 36 local cold storage units.

On Thursday morning, operations at major facilities such as Sarkar Cold Storage and Uttara Cold Storage remained paralyzed. Operators reported that no orders have been processed since the strike began on Wednesday, leaving storage sheds empty and the usual bustling trade environment abandoned.

The impasse stems from a dispute over storage costs following a government directive that capped potato storage at 50 kilograms per sack. Cold storage managers, citing the regulation, have transitioned to a weight-based pricing model of 6.75 taka per kilogram, which they argue accounts for recent losses. However, traders contend that the new rate, combined with increased labor and shed fees, has become unsustainable.

Ahad Ali Shah, president of the traders’ cooperative, stated that the conflict escalated when cold storage associations raised the cost of storing a single sack of potatoes from 300 taka to 475 taka, while simultaneously increasing labor costs. Traders claim that prior to this year, they operated under a flexible sack-based contract that allowed for commissions. Despite multiple formal appeals to local lawmakers, the district administration, and other government officials since April, the traders maintain that their grievances remain unaddressed.

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Representing the cold storage management, officials argue that the traders are attempting to circumvent government-regulated pricing in favor of lower rates. Sanwar Hossain, the district marketing officer, noted that the dispute is primarily a disagreement over pricing structures. He stated that because the government has not yet set formal potato prices for the current season, his office has limited authority to intervene, characterizing the standoff as a matter of market dynamics that falls outside direct administrative control.

The cooperative has vowed to continue the strike indefinitely, insisting that they will not resume trading until a more equitable and “logical” fee structure is established. With an estimated 36,000 sacks of potatoes typically moving out of Rajshahi’s storage facilities daily, the prolonged closure threatens to disrupt local supply chains and market stability if a resolution is not reached.