Scientists at the Jashore Regional Agricultural Research Station have brought good news for onion growers. Farmers will no longer need to plant onion bulbs as seed; they will be able to sow seed directly and produce quality onions at low cost. The scientists have begun producing large quantities of seed and will supply it to farmers on easy terms next season.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the country faces an onion shortage every year, mainly because of seed shortages and lack of storage. About 200 kg of bulbs are planted per bigha, now costing about Tk 30,000 to Tk 40,000, so many farmers avoid growing onions on large areas for fear of the cost. Planting bulbs also means higher costs, lower yields and fungal diseases in the field, so scientists began research to make onion growing easier, especially producing seed for farmers.

Scientific officer Md. Hafizur Rahman said that where five to six maunds of bulbs are needed for one bigha, one kilogram of seed can plant five to six hectares. Farmers' seed cost would fall from Tk 30,000 to Tk 40,000 per bigha to only Tk 500 to Tk 600.

"The onions produced in the country meet 57.14 percent of total demand," he said, "and to fill the gap the government spends large sums importing 7.63 metric tonnes of onions every year." Considering this, he said, the centre has taken the initiative to produce and supply seed of the improved BARI-1 variety, which will soon be spread through the agriculture department to farmers in Jashore and across the south-west.

Source: Dhaka Tribune. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.