The farmers have already exceeded the fixed farming target of onion by 3.83 percent predicting its bumper production in all five districts of Rangpur agriculture region during this Rabi season.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said enthusiastic farmers are still continuing transplantation of onion seedling after completing sowing of its seeds to further exceed the fixed farming target this time.
Meanwhile, farmers have started harvesting early varieties of winter onion to get lucrative price.
Talking to BSS, Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office Agriculturist Md. Moniruzzaman said a target of producing 65,185 tonnes of onion from 6,550 hectares of land has been fixed for Rangpur agriculture region this season.
“The farmers have so far brought 6,801 hectares of land under onion farming, higher by 251 hectares or 3.83 percent than the fixed farming target in the region,” he said.
After completing sowing of onion seeds, farmers are now continuing transplantation of onion seedlings in full swing on their croplands and the process will continue till mid-February next to bring more land under farming of the spicy crop.
The farmers started sowing seed of early varieties of onion from mid-October last after harvesting short duration Transplanted Aman rice and harvesting those from December to reap better profits amid huge demand.
“The farmers have already harvested early variety onion on 2,496 hectares of land producing 28,918 tonnes of the spicy crop by Sunday with an excellent average yield rate of 11.59 tonnes per hectare,” Moniruzzaman added.
“In addition to conducting motivational activities by different agriculture-related departments, institutes and organisations, high market price of onion is inspiring farmers to bring more land under its farming this season,” he said.
Commercial banks are disbursing easy-term agriculture loans among farmers to make the intensive onion and other winter crops’ farming program successful in the region during this Rabi season. The DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI), Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) and Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) are providing quality onion seeds and technical assistance to farmers.
“Besides, the DAE is providing adequate training and technologies to farmers to make onion farming program a success this season in the region,” Moniruzzaman added.
Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Muhammad Ali said production of both winter and summer varieties of onion continues increasing every year in recent times aiming at reducing import of the essential commodity.
“The farmers are expanding cultivation of onion after harvesting bumper yield with lucrative price of early varieties of the spicy crop this season,” he said, predicating a bumper onion production in the region this season.
Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid lauded the agriculture related debarments and organisations for taking steps to increase onion output for attaining self-reliance following current onion crisis.
(BSS)
