Murikata onion yields have been good in Manikganj, but growers are disappointed with prices. Unable to get the prices they hoped for, farmers are counting losses, selling onions at Tk 1,000 to Tk 1,100 a maund.

According to the district office of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), onions have been grown on 8,098 hectares across the seven upazilas of Manikganj this year, of which murikata onions cover 3,535 hectares. Harirampur, Ghior and Shibalaya upazilas have the most onion land.

At the Jhitka onion market in Harirampur upazila and the Tepra market in Shibalaya upazila on Friday and Saturday, onions were selling at Tk 1,000 to Tk 1,100 a maund depending on size.

Growers say this price is far too low given production costs, labour wages and the cost of fertiliser and pesticides. Because they need cash, many farmers are lifting onions from the field and selling them straight away at market, and traders are taking the chance to buy cheaply.

Farmers say that if a fair price were guaranteed they would be spared losses and would be more willing to grow onions next season.

Rafiqul Islam, an onion grower from Chhoani Gala, told Jago News: "Last year I grew saga (murikata) onions on 3 bighas. The yield was good and I made a decent profit because prices were good. On the strength of that I took a loan and grew onions on 7 bighas this year. But at the prices I see now, it looks as if even repaying the loan will be hard. If the government does not stop onion imports from other countries, farmers like us will face big losses."

Iman Ali, an onion grower from Balla village, said: "I have grown onions regularly for about 20 years. Last year I lost about four lakh taka on onions. I thought that with a good yield and good prices this year I could make up some of that and earn a little profit. But at the current rates it looks as if I will lose about Tk 4 to 5 lakh again this year. If we keep losing like this, it will be very hard for farmers like us to carry on. We may be forced to leave farming for another job."

Arman Hossain of Rajor Karta village said: "Growing onions on one bigha costs about Tk 30,000, including seed, renting a seedbed for seedlings, ploughing, irrigation, fertiliser, cow dung, weeding, labour and harvesting. Those of us who lease land also pay Tk 10,000 a bigha a year in lease money, so our cost goes past Tk 40,000 a bigha. Many people have also taken loans from moneylenders at high interest to grow onions, and with prices this low we are on the way to ruin."

Fobed Molla, owner of Bismillah Traders at Jhitka market, said prices had been even lower over the past week. "Today we are buying at 1,000 to 1,100. Perhaps even this price is low for farmers. If the government stops importing onions from abroad, prices might rise a little more."

Shahjahan Siraj, deputy director of the DAE in Manikganj, told Jago News: "It is now the peak onion season and a great deal is arriving at market. From the DAE we are asking farmers to take some time before selling. We are providing air-flow machines; each machine can store 200 maunds of onions. If farmers take their time marketing onions, they will profit."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.