Unsuitable storage facilities and lack of knowledge on quality storage and handling of potatoes are the cause of a lot of unnecessary losses of quality and volume during storage. There is need for improved storage, grading, handling and packaging technologies that reduce post-harvest losses. After visiting and assessing various Bangla potato trading companies, the following two local partners were selected by the consortium partners where the improved Dutch sorting, grading, packaging and storage solutions will be piloted.
Rangpur Himagar Pvt. Ltd.is part of the NAZ Group and is located in North-West Bangladesh, in Rangpur. It is a potato trading company which sells potatoes from its own cold storage on the domestic and export market. In addition, the company offers cold storage services to potato growers and traders who pay storage rent. The capacity of the storage facility is 250,000 bags and the facility consists of four rooms of each four levels.
Salamin Foods Ltd. is part of the Sathi Fresh group and is located in North-West Bangladesh, in Joypurhat. It is a potato trading company which sells potatoes from its own cold storage on the domestic market. In addition, the company offers cold storage services to potato growers and traders who pay storage rent. The capacity of the storage facility is 150,000 bags and the facility consists of four rooms.