Farmers expecting profit from onions in Madhukhali

Madukhali (Faridpur) Correspondent :
Madhukhali Sadar is the biggest onion market of the upazila, apart from the two-day bazar on Friday and Monday, there is an onion bazaar every day. Due to the massive supply of onion in different markets of Madhukhali upazila, it is seen that onion is being sold at wholesale price of Tk 22-28 per kg.
 In this market, onion farmers from different unions including Bagat, Korkadi, Meghchami, Bamundi, Jahapur, Boalia, Kamaldia of the upazila came to the market with onions. Onion import is very high on Friday and Monday. Due to huge supply of onion, the Dhaka-Khulna Highway caused long traffic jams. Compared to last year, the price of onion is fair at this year. However, onion imports are abundant.
During the season, about 95,000 maunds of onions are bought from the houses of 25 to 30 artisans from Madhukhali in every market by the traders of the capital Dhaka, Barisal, Khulna and other districts. Wholesalers are buying red arrow onion for Tk 900 and desi onion up to Tk1100 taka per maund. Traders are selling it at the rate of Tk30 to 35 per kg the retail market
Several farmers who came to sell onions in the market said that it is difficult to make a living by doing agricultural work at the price we are selling as he had spent Tk 1000 to 1100 per maund.
 Many farmers are seen returning home with their onions hoping to fetch higher prices.
Farmer of Charbagat village. Masud Mridha said that the farmer does not get the price of onion. Last year there was a loss of aroundTk 50 thousand in onions. Hoping to grow onion this year, till now there is no loss expected in onion but the farmer needs profit. He said, about Tk 1850 were spent on each percent of land. Onion production is two per cent. Even if there is no loss at the current price in the market, the profit is not visible.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Alvir Rahman said, that in the current 2022-2023 season, onions have been cultivated in Madhukhali on a total of 3,240 hectares of land, including murikata, grains and hali. In the last season, different varieties of onions were planted in a total of 2,750 hectares of land in Madhukhali. This year onion cultivation is more in about 500 hectares of land.