The hope and aspiration of the onion farmers in largest onion producing area Shailkupa of Jhenaidah were shattered when they were not receiving fair price of their long cherished spicy crop. Rather the price is deceasing in every wee in the market leaving the farmers in financial loss.
Moreover, the local buyers widely known as pharia have been cheating the farmers during weight of the crops. They have been allegedly taking two to three kilograms against each 40 kilogram maund. It might discourage them in the next time in onion farming in the district, said the farmers and concern people.
The onion farmers at Shailkupa, the largest onion producing area in Jhenaidah district said untimely repeated and incessant rainfall in Bengali month Magh, had affected the recent transplanted onion plants and seedbeds badly. Most of the farmers after purchasing fresh seeds at two to three times higher price, had started cultivation of the spicy crop in the season.
A number of onion farmers from Manaharpur, Hazramina, Ausia, Paikpara and some other villagers when contacted at Shailkupa weekly kitchen market on Tuesday, said they are selling each maund of onion at Taka 600 to 750, while the rate was 750 to 850 last week. The same was selling at Taka 850 to 950 in the previous week, they said.
The farmers said the price of the onion was reducing every week where the farmers became the victim of price fall. They alleged the onion buyers known as pharia have been collecting additional two to three kilograms against each 40 kilogram weight. The farmers on last Tuesday had stopped the selling protesting the decision of taking additional goods locally known as Dhalta. Later the local administration and municipality authority had enterfeared the matter and managed to convince the onion selling farmers.
Shailkupa municipality mayor Kazi Ashraful Azam when contacted said he had advised the buyers not to take additional crop during weight. He said he will take steps against those liable for taking additional crop from the innocent farmers during weight. Office sources of the department of agriculture extension (DAE) in Khamarbari Jhenaidah, the farmers in Jhenaidah brought a total of 10,791 hectares of and under the onion farming in the season as against DAE target for 10,560 hectares. Here additional 232 hectares of additional land was covered during the season.
Upazila wise breakup for the farming was 485 hectares in Jhenaidah Sadar, 260 hectares in Kaliganj, 132 hectares in Kotchandpur, 1,207 hectares in bordering Moheshpur, highest 8,337 hectares in Shailkupa and 403 hectares of land in Harinakundu upazila. Although the production target was estimated for 18.22 tones on each hectare, it might not exceed 18 hectares in the season, said the farmers and concern.
The sources said the farmers produced 190,768 tones of onion on 10,772 hectares of land in the last season. Yield of onion on each hectare on an average was 18.25 tones, DAE sources said.
DAE deputy director in Jhenaidah Asgar Ali when contacted said the farmers of Shailkupa have been playing significant role in onion and garlic production in Khulna division every year. As the price was decreasing frequently, it might affect the farmers. To encourage the onion farmers and strengthen their socio-economic state, government should take necessary steps for preservation of the rotten spicy crop. He had recommended for the issue, deputy director said.
