Onion farmers bag huge profits

GOPALGANJ, Mar 04: Farmers of Muksudpur upazila in the district are getting huge benefits from the cultivation of 'king and king hybrid' onion as the spicy item is being sold at a higher price in markets.
A total of 2,206 hectares of land has been brought under 'king & king hybrid' onion cultivation this season with a production target of 27,500 tonnes, according to sources in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Muksudpur.
About 10,500 farmers are involved in onion farming, they have said. A total of 3,890 hectares of land have been brought under onion cultivation in five upazilas of the district with a production target of 48,625 tonnes this year, says local DAE office.
Azgar Ali Mir, an onion farmer of Janbagh village in Muksudpur, said he cultivated 'king hybrid' onion on local five bighas of land this season.
"Onion production will be satisfactory if the weather condition remains unchanged. I'll get about 355 maunds of onion worth Tk 14.20 lakh."
The cost is about Tk 0.7 million ( 7 lakh) where per maund of onion is being selling at Tk 4,000 to Tk 4,500 in local market, he added.
Mohammad Habibur Rahman, sub-assistant, agriculture office (SAAO) in Muksudpur, said farmers in this region are more interested in onion farming as its price has increased threefold.
Abdur Rahman, a farmer of Krishnadia village under the same upazila, told the FE that he cultivated onion on six bighas of land this year.
"I'll get about 426 maunds of onion if weather remains favourable."
"I'll get huge benefits from onion cultivation as a maund of the produce is selling at Tk 4,000 to Tk 4,500 in different markets," he added.
Baharuddin Sheikh, agriculture officer in Muksudpur has told The FE that local farmers are excepting a bumper production of onion this year as weather and soil are favourable for its cultivation in this region.

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