Onion seed farming changes lot of farmers
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Our Correspondent
FARIDPUR, Mar 24: Growing of onion seeds has changed the lot of many farmers in Faridpur district recently.
Faridpur district is noted for producing onion seeds.
The lion-share of the demand for onion seeds in the country is met by the seeds grown in this district.
Onion seeds are cultivated on vast tracts of land in Ambikapur and Kanaipur under Sadar upazila, in Chandra, Azimnagar, Maligram, and Chakighata in Bhanga upazila in Krishnapur, Bhasanchar, Char Chandpur, Monikhotta and Shampur in Sadarpur upazila.
The land area for onion seed cultivation is increasing every year.
According to a source in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Faridpur office, onion seed was cultivated on 1151 hectares of land in the district last year.
The source added that this year onion seed cultivation in the district stands at 1642 hectares, exceeding last year's cultivation by about 5000 hectares.
Local DAE and Faridpur BADC help farmers in producing onion seeds, the farmers said adding that timely availability of fertiliser and pesticide at lower prices must be ensured to produce quality onion seeds.
A farmer, Noor Alam, of Chakighaa village under Bhanga upazila said the onion seed output would exceed the production target this year, as the weather is better these days.
Another farmer, Golam Mostafa, of Ambicapur union under Sadar upazila of Faridpur said they (farmers) have urged the government to request BADC to purchase onion seeds directly from the growers.
They also said that due to high price of fertiliser and pesticide production cost of onion seeds had increased.
Onion seed cultivation begins during the period from November to March, they said. Md Shah Alam, Deputy Director of DAE, Faridpur said, "Onion seed cultivation land area is increasing every year and the quality of seeds of Faridpur is much better."
He hoped that 739 tonnes of onion seeds would be produced in the district, this year.
FARIDPUR, Mar 24: Growing of onion seeds has changed the lot of many farmers in Faridpur district recently.
Faridpur district is noted for producing onion seeds.
The lion-share of the demand for onion seeds in the country is met by the seeds grown in this district.
Onion seeds are cultivated on vast tracts of land in Ambikapur and Kanaipur under Sadar upazila, in Chandra, Azimnagar, Maligram, and Chakighata in Bhanga upazila in Krishnapur, Bhasanchar, Char Chandpur, Monikhotta and Shampur in Sadarpur upazila.
The land area for onion seed cultivation is increasing every year.
According to a source in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Faridpur office, onion seed was cultivated on 1151 hectares of land in the district last year.
The source added that this year onion seed cultivation in the district stands at 1642 hectares, exceeding last year's cultivation by about 5000 hectares.
Local DAE and Faridpur BADC help farmers in producing onion seeds, the farmers said adding that timely availability of fertiliser and pesticide at lower prices must be ensured to produce quality onion seeds.
A farmer, Noor Alam, of Chakighaa village under Bhanga upazila said the onion seed output would exceed the production target this year, as the weather is better these days.
Another farmer, Golam Mostafa, of Ambicapur union under Sadar upazila of Faridpur said they (farmers) have urged the government to request BADC to purchase onion seeds directly from the growers.
They also said that due to high price of fertiliser and pesticide production cost of onion seeds had increased.
Onion seed cultivation begins during the period from November to March, they said. Md Shah Alam, Deputy Director of DAE, Faridpur said, "Onion seed cultivation land area is increasing every year and the quality of seeds of Faridpur is much better."
He hoped that 739 tonnes of onion seeds would be produced in the district, this year.