About 50,000 tonnes of onion still stored at farmer level in Jhenaidah. Many farmers involved in onion cultivation have been preserving the onion as it is considered as the cash crop to them, said the farmers and the officials of Department of Agricultural Extension in Khamarbari of Jhenaidah.
Several onion farmers of Badapara, Jalsuka and Khulumbaria villages under Hakimpur union of Shailkupa upazila said 25 to 30 percent of the onion harvested about six or seventh months ago, was stored in their shades. They did not show eagerness to sale these in the markets during the season. They have been preserving the crop to sale it when they will require money during Aman season or any other necessary.
Some of the housewives of the farmers of the areas were seen removing the damaged onions and separating the good ones from those to avoid any further damage.
Several onion farmers said at least 50 thousand tonnes of onion are stored by the farmers which they are targeting to sale within next two to three months at a good price. They were preserving onion to receive more money as there is a good demand of onion in the market. Each maund (40-kilogram) onion was reportedly being sold at around Tk 4,000 in the market. However, the farmers said as the onion is a cash crop, they could sale it in any local markets or weekly markets. They believe storage of onion at their houses means they were depositing the money in any bank or financial institutions. Whenever they will feel the necessity of money, they will sale it and receive cash. They have not stored onion just for making extra money, the farmers said.
Some brokers locally known as ‘Pharia’ at the largest onion producing area Shailkupa weekly market said at least 85 percent of the onion is sent to Khulna market. A portion is also sent to Faridpur, Barishal and some other areas of the country.
According to a source related to the office of the deputy director of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Jhenaidah said the farmers of the district had produced 204,000 tones of onion in the last season in Jhenaidah Sadar, Kaliganj, Kotchandpur, Moheshpur, Shailkupa and Harinakundu uapzilas. Of them about 80 precent of the onions was harvested in Shailkupa. No onion farmer in five other upazilas preserve the onion except Shailkupa upazila as many farmers belong to well-to-do families. They usually do not show interest in selling the onion during the harvesting season.
DAE deputy director in Jhenaidah Sasti Chandra Roy said they conducted an assessment on storage of onion with the farmers. Their assessment shows that about 39 thousand tonnes of onion were stored by the farmers. The stock might be ended within next three to four months.
