RAJSHAHI, April 7, 2019 (BSS) – Nazmul Haque, 48, is now dreaming of selling onion seeds at Taka 10 lakh during the current season inspiring many of his fellow farmers for cultivation of this particular verity.
Haque, a farmer of Tarapur village under Puthiya Upazila in the district, has cultivated onion seeds on four bighas of land. His eye-catching farming field predicts yielding more than 600 kilograms of seed in the coming harvesting season.
Talking to BSS, Nazmul says he has spent Taka 55,000 for the farming purposes. He expects production of 120 to 150 kilograms from per bigha of land on an average.
Around 15 years back, he had started onion seed farming on two khathas of land after taking it lease. Since then, continuous profit inspired him to increase his farming gradually. Now, he is a successful onion seed farmer and his fame spreads surrounding areas.
Anwar Hossain of Pirijpur village told BSS that he had cultivated onion seed on two bighas of land last year and made a profit of Taka 42,000. In the current season, he brought eight bighas of land under onion cultivation.
After his retirement as a teacher, Shahab Uddin of Arizpur village had started onion-seed farming. Last year, he made a profit of Taka two lakh after cultivating the seed in five bighas of land. He cultivated the cash crop on 10 bighas of land this year.
Shahab Uddin said the onion-seed farming is risky but profitable than many other crops.
Nazmul Haque, Anwar Hossain and Shahab Uddin are among many others who have changed their fortunes through commercial onion seed farming in the region including vast Barind tract.
Talking to BSS on his success Kamrul Islam, Upazila Agriculture Officer in Puthiya, said onions were cultivated on 75 hectares of land in the upazila. “We are extending all-out support to the farmers for making the cultivation profitable and sustainable,” he added.
Abdul Wadud, Additional Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), says onion seed farming is gradually increasing as it’s being considered profitable.
In the district, 15,545 hectares of land were brought under onion seed farming this year, which is 5,545 hectares more than previous year, he added.
He said commercial farming of onion- seed is gradually increasing in Rajshahi region including its high Barind tract against the backdrop of its increasing demand.
More than 1,550 farmers have become self-reliant through the commercial farming of the seed during the last 10 years in the upazila, which attracted many others for onion seed farming.
Dev Dulal Dhali, Additional Director of DAE, said more than 3,500 farmers cultivated onion-seeds on around 2,500 hectares of land in the region this year.
Around 20,200 hectares of land were brought under onion farming in the region and many of the farmers cultivated Taherpuri variety as its yield is higher than any other variety.
Farmers and agriculturists are expecting that around 6.5 lakh tonnes of onion is likely to be produced in eight districts under Rajshahi division during the current season.