Fair prices elude Kushtia onion farmers

FE Team | Published: April 09, 2022 20:59:46

Traders sorting out onions at a market in Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia district — UNB

KUSHTIA, Apr 09 (UNB): Continuous falling prices of onion in the market is making it difficult for Kushtia farmers to recover the production cost in spite of a good harvest this year.
Wholesale prices of onion were at Tk 15 to 20 per kg while retail price of onion was at Tk 400 to 800 per maund at the largest onion market of Kushtia at Ponti in Kumarkhali upazila on Friday. According to farmers, they are getting some Tk 400 to 500 less profit per maund this year compared to the last two years.
According to the Kushtia Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), onions have been cultivated in 13,734 hectares of land in the district during this Rabi season (October 15 to March 15).
Onion prices started falling immediately after the new harvest arrived in the market as the retail price was at Tk 35 to 40 per kg just two weeks ago.
"Production of per kg onion has cost a farmer some Tk 25 to 35 including the prices of seeds, pesticides, workers, transport. The farmers are counting a loss of Tk 10 to 18 selling the onions at Tk 15 to 17 at the market.
"Some 400 villagers of tobacco cultivation- based village Kamardanga village in Mirpur upazila cultivated onions in their lands instead of tobacco", said Abdus Sattar, an octogenarian farmer of the village.