The production of onion-seed has increased nearly double this year (2021) than that of previous year in nine upazilas of Rajshahi.
According to the source of Rajshahi Agriculture Extension Department, in 2020, onion-seed was cultivated on 256 hectares of land from where 166 metric-tonnes of seed was produced whereas onion seeds have been cultivated on 434 hectares of land this year (2021) from where 282 metric tonnes of seed is expected to be produced. The estimated price of the produced onion-seed is Taka 850 million (Taka 85 crore).
Though Onion is produced in all nine upazilas of Rajshahi, the onion-seed is mainly produced in Durgapur, Puthia, Paba, Mohanpur, Bagha and Charghat upazilas.
According to sources, onion has been produced on 18,283 hectares of land in the district this year of which onion-seedlings has been transplanted on 12,077 hectares of land and onion (Muri-onion or small-onion) was cultivated on 6,206 hectares of land.
Onion farmers informed, the price of onion-seed was Taka 5,000 to 6,000 per kilogramme and the saplings of onion is being sold at 4,000 to 5,000 per maund. The onion grown from the saplings might be ready to harvest within the next 20 to 30-day.
Meanwhile, the seed onion is getting matured in the fields and farmers of Rajshahi are hopeful of a bumper production of onion seed this year.
Harun (34) of Naohata village under Paba upazila informed, he has cultivated onion on one bigha of land to produce seeds from the onion. Last year, the price of onion-seed was exorbitant and he hoped he would get a satisfactory price of the seed this year as well.
Additional Deputy-Director of Department of Agriculture Extension Umme Salma informed, the onion-seed production in the district was nearly double this year than that of last year. The field condition is so far well and there was no report of any pest attack or damage of onion-seed in the field.
