Home ›› 18 Dec 2021 ›› Front
Summer onions have not arrived on the market on time, causing the government’s plan to ensure adequate supply of the kitchen item and keep prices low in the late season fall through.
Winter onions have already arrived on the market, but the summer variety needs another month as there has been a delay in harvesting.
Wholesalers said prices would have been lower if summer onions were supplied at the right time.
The government imported summer onion seeds in mid-August for early cultivation to ensure the essential kitchen item’s availability in the market, especially in November and December when a scarcity arises across the country every year.
“Winter onions are available in every local kitchen market in northern districts. The marketing will begin across the country within a week,” AJM Abdul Awal, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension’s (DAE) Rajshahi office, told The Business Post.
He said the summer variety could be harvested in late January. But DAE Director General Md Asadullah claimed huge success in the summer variety cultivation.
“The yield will be very good. We are cultivating summer onions for the first time, and it is of course a success,” he told The Business Post.
He admitted the delay in harvesting the summer variety, hoping it would be harvested before the winter one in the future. “This delay will be reduced from next year.”
Explaining the delay, Md Ajgor Ali, DAE deputy director in Jhenaidah, said they were supposed to receive summer onion seeds in March-April.
“But we received them in September. It was expected that summer onions could be harvested in late January. Now that has become uncertain, and there will certainly be a delay.
“On top of that, rains caused a lot of damage. We wrote to the DAE seeking winter seeds and other incentives to recover from the damage,” he added.
To grow summer onions, farmers got seeds, fertilisers, and other necessary components free of cost as incentives. They were interested in the new experience of cultivating summer onions. Now they also hope a good harvest despite the delay.
“It seems the size of summer onions will be bigger than that of the local ones. There has been a delay in making seedbeds. That is why the harvest will be late,” said Abu Naser Zakaria, a farmer in Dinajpur’s Hakimpur upazila who cultivated the summer variety in 0.25 acres of land.
“Around 40 more days are needed to get the harvest,” he said.
Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) imported summer onion seeds from India. But it did not obtain any import permit beforehand, which is a must according to the law.
It did not even disclose to the media how the seeds had entered Bangladesh. The DAE distributed the seeds among farmers.
A total of 18 tonnes of summer onion seeds were distributed among 18,000 farmers in 18 districts. The agriculture ministry disbursed Tk 15.78 crore to provide farmers with seeds, fertilisers, seedlings, transportation, and other necessary components.
Among the districts, Dinajpur got 2.2 tonnes of seeds, which was the highest, while both Rajshahi and Jhenaidah received two tonnes each.
Besides, Chapainawabganj received 1.5 tonnes while both Kushtia and Chuadanga got 1.2 tonnes each. Naogaon, Bogura, Jashore, Thakurgaon, and Panchagarh received a tonne each.
Among others, Natore, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Magura, Meherpur, and Mymensingh received between 0.3 and 0.5 tonnes.
Each farmer received 1kg seed, 40kg fertiliser, and Tk 8,770 in government assistance.
Despite the late harvest of summer onions, the country will not face a scarcity as more onions are expected to be grown compared to previous years. Pabna produces the highest amount of onions.
Agriculture officials across the country said the delay in the harvest of summer onions would not affect the supply of the kitchen item next year.
“The summer variety was not cultivated in Pabna, but winter onions would be marketed commercially within 10-15 days. The majority of onions is supplied from Pabna. The production volume will increase this year,” said Pabna DAE Deputy Director Md Mizanur Rahman.
