Continuous falling prices of onion in the market is making it difficult for Kushtia farmers to recover the production cost in spite of a good harvest this year.
Wholesale prices of onion was at Tk 15 to 20 per kg while retail price of onion was at Tk 400 to 800 per maund, the UNB reporter saw during a visit to the largest onion market of Kushtia at Ponti in Kumarkhali upazila on Friday.
According to farmers they are getting some Tk 400 to 500 less profit per maund this year compared to the last two years.
According to the Kushtia Agricultural Extension Department, onions have been cultivated in 13,734 hectares of land in the district during this Robi season (October 15 to March 15).
Onion prices started falling immediately after the new harvest arrived in the market as the retail price was at Tk 35 to 40 per Kg just two weeks ago.
Also read; Importers fear losses as Indian onions flood Bangladesh markets
“Production of per Kg onion has cost a farmer some Tk 25 to 35 including the prices of seeds, pesticides, workers, transport. The farmers are counting a loss of Tk 10 to 18 selling the onions at Tk 15 to 17 at the market
Due to good weather some 60 to 80 maunds of onion have been produced per 27,00 square feet of land (1 Bigha) this season, said Faridh Sheikh, a onion farmer from Jotmora village in Kumarkhali Upazila.
Kushtia onion farmers struggle with production cost amid falling price
Some 400 villagers of tobacco cultivation based village Kamardangavillage in Mirpur upazila cultivated onions in their lands instead of tobacco, said Abdus Sattar, an octogenarian farmer of the village.
“With the falling price of onions we will lose interest in onion cultivation,” he said.
Kushtia District Agriculture Extension Office (Khamarbari) Additional Deputy Director (Crops) Bishnupad Saha said “As the price of onion in the market is now on the decline farmers will face losses if they sell onions.”
Also read; Onion supply glut in Khulna puts TCB in dilemma
He advised to preserve onions in the local method at the farmer level without selling now.
Source: United News of Bangladesh