Gopalganj farmers eye bumper onion production

OUR CORRESPONDENT

GOPALGANJ, Apr 26: The farmers of the district are expecting a bumper production of onion this year as its harvest is going on in full swing.

But, the lower price of onion has frustrated the farmers in the district and elsewhere in the country.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Gopalganj, farmers have cultivated onion on 3,885 hectares of land with a production target of 69,000 tonnes.

About 23,000 farmers are involved in onion cultivation under five upazilas in the district.

Of the land, 2,700 hectares of land have been brought into onion cultivation in Muksudpur upazila and 842 hectares in Kasiani upazila, official sources said.

Jahid Hasan, 38, a farmer of Khalishakandi village under Muksudpur upazila, said he cultivated onion origin 'metal king' on 520 decimal (local 10 bighas) of land this year.

The onion production is good, but its market price is comparatively lower. So, farmers are facing economic losses from onion farming.

One maund of onion is being sold at Tk 1,600 only (field rate), Jahid added.

Md Abdur Rahman (Rana), Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer (SAAO) of Maharajpur union under Muksudpur upazila, said about 577 hectares of land have been brought under onion cultivation in Maharajpur union this year. He also said the production cost of one kilogram of onion is Tk 24, but its sales price is Tk 38 to 40.

Nurun Nabi Farad (52), an onion farmer of village Lohair in the same upazila, said he cultivated onion on local five bighas (260 decimal) of land origin 'latir king' this current year.

By this time 300 maunds of onion get from my field & I will get 100 maunds of onion from same field, which current market price is Tk 640,000. The profit is not sufficient, Nabi said.

Bahauddin Sheikh, Upazila Agriculture Officer (UAO), Muksudpur, told the FE that a total of 2,700 hectares of land have been brought under onion farming.

Md Omar Mollah (45), a onion farmer of village Mazra under Sajail union of Kasiani upazila in the district, said he cultivated onion on local 1.75 bighas (90 decimal) of land origin 'latir king' this year and its harvesting ongoing by this time 110 maunds of onion harvested from my field.

Kazi Ezazul Karim, Upazila Agriculture Officer (UAO), Kasiani told the FE that 842 hectares of land have been brought under onion cultivation in Kasiani upazila of Gopalganj district.

Abdul Kadir Sarder, deputy director, Agriculture, Khamarbari, Gopalganj told the FE that farmers of Muksudpur and Kasiani upazilas are excepting a bumper production of onion this year.

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