Farmers busy cultivating Murikata onion in Rajbari

FARIDPUR, Nov 04: Farmers are now busy cultivating Murikata onion in Rajbari as different areas of the district have high potential of producing the spice.
Although onion is cultivated more or less in five upazilas of the district, its farming is more in Kalukhali and Baliakandi of the district.
According to the population of the district, Rajbari has a demand of 18,000 to 20,000 tonnes of onion but the production is several lakh tonnes.
Cultivating Murikata onion per bigha land on one year's lease (contract) costs a farmer Tk 80,000 to 90,000. If the yield is good, 50 to 60 maunds of onion can be harvested per bigha.
Farmers' profits basically depend on the weather condition and market prices.
However, the market prices being good here at present, cultivation of Murikata and Hali species of onion is increasing day by day in Rajbari.
Meanwhile, the farmers have called upon the government, including the officials concerned, not to import Indian onions. At the same time, they are hoping that loan could be increased on easy terms.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, Rajbari, target has been set to plant Hali and Murikata species of onion on 32,000 hectares of land this year.
Last season, onion was planted on 29,096 hectares of land in Rajbari.
Of this, 4,057 hectares are covered with onion and about 3.5 lakh tonnes of onion are produced in the district.
The DAE, Rajbari is of the view that cultivation of Murikata onion will increase this year due to good market prices.
Farmers Wazed Ali Sheikh, Rafiq Sheikh Malek Sheikh and many others said the onion they are planting now will take three months to grow. This is a risky crop.
The farmers requested the government not to import Indian onions.
The total cost of cultivating onion per bigha of land is Tk 80,000 to Tk 90,000 for farmers and in case of their own land it will cost them Tk 25,000 to Tk 30,000 less.
The farmers said they could have increased the scope of their cultivation if they had got loan.
Rajbari Department of Agricultural Extension Deputy Director Gopal Krishna Das said Rajbari is a district most favourable for onion cultivation.
Last year, onion was cultivated on 29,000 hectares of land in the district. Of the total, Murikata onion was cultivated on 4,057 hectares of land. This year, the target for onion cultivation has been set at 32,000 hectares of land including grains.
Already this year, farmers have started planting Murikata onions. The onions will grow in late December this year or early January next year. Farmers are expected to cultivate onion more this year as they benefited from the cultivation last year.
Gopal Krishna Das is also advising the farmers to protect themselves from diseases and other pests in onion cultivation.

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