Onion farmers
Onion farmers in Shailkupa hit by fertiliser shortage during peak season
Farmers in Shailkupa Upazila of Jhenaidah district are facing a severe shortage of chemical fertilisers during the peak onion cultivation season.
The fertiliser is not available from dealers as expected, and what is available in the open market is being sold at higher prices. This has left many farmers worried about their crops, fearing they could incur financial losses without access to the necessary fertilisers.
Farmers across the upazila are complaining that they cannot get the fertiliser they need from the local dealers.
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Shariful Islam, a farmer from Dhaora village, has planted onions on 5 bighas of land and is concerned that the shortage of fertiliser may ruin his harvest. "If I can't apply fertiliser on time, I could lose all my capital," he said.
Like many other farmers, Shariful has been forced to buy fertiliser from the open market at high price.
Farmer Rafiqul Islam said, "When we go to the dealer to get fertiliser at the government-set price, the dealer refuses, claiming they don't have any."
"But when we go to the open market, we can find fertiliser, but the price is Tk 300 to 400 higher per sack," he added.
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Ayub Hossain, another farmer from Madandanga village, said "I have planted onions on 2 bighas of land this season, nurturing regularly in the hope of a good harvest. But I fear a crop failure if I can't apply fertiliser in time. If I lose my onions, I will lose all my investment."
Other farmers, like Abul Hossain, face similar challenges. "I need 6 bags of fertiliser, but I have to stand in line all day to get just one bag," he said.
Another farmer, Ismail, said, "If I can't give fertiliser on time, the onion yield won't be good. I'll lose my investment, and if that happens, I won't cultivate onions next year."
Farmers in the region have further alleged that the dealers appointed at the union level do not operate from their designated locations. Instead, they have set up shops in municipal areas, selling fertiliser at prices higher than the rates set by the government.
This has led to widespread frustration among farmers, especially during the peak onion planting season. They are now demanding a prompt solution to the ongoing fertiliser crisis.
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Dealers, however, claimed that the supply is insufficient to meet the high demand.
Shailkupa Upazila Agriculture Officer Arifuzzaman said that the shortage was partly due to farmers storing fertiliser in their homes, which has further limited availability.
He assured that efforts are being made to distribute fertiliser to all farmers, and additional guidance is being given for better yields.
This season, the target area for onion cultivation in Shailkupa is 12,000 hectares, with a demand for 8,000 metric tons of fertiliser, including urea, TSP, and DOP.
However, the available supply has not been enough to meet these needs, leaving many farmers frustrated and worried about their crops.
1 month ago
Use of air flow machines in storage transforming onion farmers' fortunes in Faridpur
Every year, it is said that almost a quarter of the country's total output of onions - which in 2020-21 stood at 3.3 million metric tonnes - ends up wasted, going rotten due to bacterial infection, or exposure to excessive heat and vapour.
That would equate to 825,000 MT of wasted onions in 2020-21.
But this year, farmers in the country’s southwest have started reaping the benefits of using a new technology in the preservation of their perishable crops.
An air flow machine, already being dubbed the ‘Air Conditioner (AC) for Onions’, - although the technique can be and is used in storage of other items as well- is helping Faridpur's onion farmers to prevent a significant portion of their produce from going rotten.
For the last couple of years, Bangladesh has been increasing its annual output of onions. But the country still has to import huge amounts of onion every year to meet demand. Both the importers and the local farmers incur losses due to surplus onions in the market, as prices come down and the product starts to rot.
The air flow machine has arrived as a solution to this two-pronged problem.
Also read: Bangladesh to export onions in 2-3 years: Agricultural Minister
The cost-effective innovation, long in use in other parts of the world, is being championed in Bangladesh by a team of Southwestern Coordinated Water Resources Planning and Management Project-Phase II. The cost of setting up an Air Flow Machine is only Tk 15,000-Tk 20,000.
2 years ago
Magura onion farmers in tears as prices plummet
Strange as it may seem, but a bumper harvest has left many onion farmers in Magura in tears. Forget profit, they are struggling to recover even their production cost this year.
Falling prices of the kitchen staple across Bangladesh are forcing these poor farmers to go for distress sales in the absence of any warehousing option that helps prevent a price collapse in case of a bumper yield.
An essential part of the diets of millions of Bangladeshis, rich and poor, onions add flavour and texture to every meal. Besides, the pungent bulb is a rich source of key daily nutrients.
Also read: Kushtia onion farmers struggle with production cost amid falling price
Every year, Bangladesh witnesses onion crises. However, this year, farmers in Magura are facing a problem of plenty -- basically more supplies and less demand.
2 years ago
Kushtia onion farmers struggle with production cost amid falling price
Continuous falling prices of onion in the market is making it difficult for Kushtia farmers to recover the production cost in spite of a good harvest this year.
Wholesale prices of onion was at Tk 15 to 20 per kg while retail price of onion was at Tk 400 to 800 per maund, the UNB reporter saw during a visit to the largest onion market of Kushtia at Ponti in Kumarkhali upazila on Friday.
According to farmers they are getting some Tk 400 to 500 less profit per maund this year compared to the last two years.
According to the Kushtia Agricultural Extension Department, onions have been cultivated in 13,734 hectares of land in the district during this Robi season (October 15 to March 15).
Onion prices started falling immediately after the new harvest arrived in the market as the retail price was at Tk 35 to 40 per Kg just two weeks ago.
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“Production of per Kg onion has cost a farmer some Tk 25 to 35 including the prices of seeds, pesticides, workers, transport. The farmers are counting a loss of Tk 10 to 18 selling the onions at Tk 15 to 17 at the market
Due to good weather some 60 to 80 maunds of onion have been produced per 27,00 square feet of land (1 Bigha) this season, said Faridh Sheikh, a onion farmer from Jotmora village in Kumarkhali Upazila.
2 years ago
Faridpur onion farmers fear the worst after hailstorm
After failing to get fair price for onions in the previous season, farmers in differet upazilas here are dreaming of making up their loss this season thanks to bumper onion yield.
5 years ago
The curious case of onion 'lifting’ in Satkhira
Farmers at Digong village of Kolaroa upazila in Satkhira are spending sleepless nights guarding their onion fields as rampant stealing of the much sought-after bulb directly from the field is leaving them despondent and distraught.
5 years ago