Onion farmers stare in losses
Onion farmers fear losses found in the wake of falling prices of the crop resulting from the arrival of early varieties and the resumption of imports from India.
Over the last seven days, the prices of the popular item declined around Tk 300 each maund in major producing districts-- Pabna and Faridpur.
A maund, or 40kg, of latest onions was offering at Tk 1,100-Tk 1,200 at Pabna's Sujanagar onion marketplace, one of the biggest hubs for the main vegetable in the country. In Faridpur, the fresh bulbs were exchanged at Tk 950 per maund down from Tk 1,250-Tk 1,350 last week, regarding to farmers and traders.
Farmers say the costs should be the very least Tk 1,200, and they'll incur losses if they must sell below the particular level.
Amirul Islam, an onion farmer on Tatipara village of Sujanagar, said he'd incur a lack of Tk 5,000- Tk 10,000 for every bigha currently prices of onions.
"Growers will turn from onion cultivation if indeed they do not get a good price. The federal government should have necessary steps right now," stated Kamal Sheikh, a grower in Laskardia village under Nagarkanda upazila in Faridpur.
Hashem Sheikh, an onion grower in Adampur village under Faridpur sadar upazila, said they would lose interest in creating bulbs unless they got a good price.
Farmers have already been expanding the cultivation of onions for just two years encouraged by the bigger prices after India banned exports. Last year, onion acreage grew 18 % to 237,000 hectares.
The costs of onion skyrocketed when India banned exports in September last year, pressing the retail price in Bangladesh to as high as Tk 110 a kg on September 16, based on the Department of Agricultural Marketing.
The costs had jumped to a record Tk 250 a kg in 2019 after an identical Indian ban.
The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has targeted to bring 249,000 hectares under onion cultivation in the current fiscal year.
Farmers planted early onions on 65,000 hectares, up 8 per cent from this past year, based on the DAE data.
"We want to provide 184,000 hectares under onion seedling cultivation this year," said DAE Director Standard Md Asadullah.
Farmers and agriculturists state the price tag on planting onions rose this season because of the higher cost of seeds. And the decline in rates would increase the threat of losses of farmers.
Abdur Rashid, a good wholesaler in Sujanagar, said the costs of the key cooking ingredient dropped found in recent periods owing to the increased source resulting from the arrival of recently harvested bulbs and the resumption of imports from India.
New Delhi lifted constraints on onion exports previous month and imports commenced earlier this week.
Growers need to spend practically Tk 800 to create an individual maund of onion, according to Shailendra Nath Mozumder, principal scientific officer of the Spice Exploration Centre under the Bangladesh Agricultural Study Institute.
He said the federal government should take actions to safeguard farmers. "Some import duty may be imposed so that prices do not fall because of a rise in imports."
Imports should be barred from March to May, the harvesting period, he added.
The commerce ministry has requested the National Panel of Revenue (NBR) to impose import duty on onions.
Contacted, a senior established of the NBR said the earnings board was however to take virtually any decision to the effect.
Currently, there is no duty on onion imports.
Our correspondents found in Pabna and Faridpur contributed to the article.
