Support onion farmers

India's ban on onion export for two consecutive years should be considered as a wake-up call for Bangladesh to attain self-sufficiency in production of this essential cooking ingredient. Once dependent on Indian cattle for meeting local demand of meat, Bangladesh has made tremendous progress in cattle rearing since India imposed restriction on the export of cattle.

In fact, Bangladeshi farmers can easily meet the local demand of onion by increasing production if price incentives including guarantee of floor price are given. When more than one million tonnes of onion or 50 per cent of the demand, is produced locally, self-sufficiency is not impossible. The government needs to take a long-term plan to increase onion production at home and thus ensure welfare of both local farmers and consumers.

Rokeya Begum

Dhanmondi, Dhaka

[email protected]