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The harvesting of onion, the main cash crop of the farmers of three upazilas in Manikganj, is going on in full swing with excellent production during the current season, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) sources said.
The cultivation of onion exceeded its target in the district as the cultivators are getting fair prices and bumper production of their products, the sources added.
The DAE office has set a target for cultivating onion on 6,500 hectares of land during the current season in all seven upazilas of the district with a production target of 96,395 tonnes of onion. But onion was cultivated on 6,782 hectares of land exceeding its fixed target by 282 hectares.
The DAE office had set a target for cultivating onion on 5,954 hectares of land last year with a production target of 63,113 tonnes of onion. But, the farmers had cultivated onion on 6,449 hectares of land exceeding the fixed target.
Most of the onion is cultivated in three upazilas — Harirampur, Ghior and Shibalaya — of the district. More than 80 per cent of onion is cultivated only in those upazilas.
Ahmed Ali, 50, one of the onion cultivators of village Maluchi in Shibalaya, said, "We have achieved a bumper production during the current season as we got quality seeds, fertilisers and other agri inputs at right time.” The price of onion is declining with the appearance of newly harvested onions in the markets, he added.
Abu Mohammad Enayet Ullah, DAE deputy director, said the land of three upazilas of the district is suitable for onion cultivation and the farmers of the areas cultivate this spicy product as one of the best cash crops.
Most of the onions of these areas are supplied to the various markets in the country including the capital city Dhaka round the year, he said.
