BSS, Rangpur :
The government has fixed a record target of producing 19 lakh tonne of onion from 1.90 lakh hectares land in the country during the current 2014-2015 Rabi season, official sources said.
Under the programme, over 8.55 tonne onion, about 45.04 percent of the fixed national target, will be produced from 85,579 hectares land in the northern region this time and the farmers have already started cultivation of the essential spicy crop.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources, a yield rate of 10 tonne onion per hectare has been fixed for this season on an average throughout the country.
Meanwhile, the very early variety winter onion has already appeared in the local markets keeping its price reasonable within Taka 25 to 30 per kilogram now though sowing of the seed continues in full swing everywhere.
The DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation, commercial banks and Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank and NGOs have taken adequate steps to make the onion farming programme successful.
The steps include distribution of high quality seed, disbursements of easy-term agri-loans at lower interest rates, providing training, technical assistance and inputs under various programmes.
Deputy Director of the DAE Zulfiquer Haider said onion import decreases every year as its production continues increasing following various government steps and the crop is being cultivated twice a year in place of only once during the winter in the past.
Besides, the farmers have been showing more interests in farming onion to earn better following disbursements of easy-term agri-loans and easier availability of the high quality seed in the northern region as well as everywhere in the country.
Onion production has been increasing in recent years as huge amount of the allocated agri-loans is being disbursed among the farmers to increase farming of the spicy crops though the same had been remaining idle with the banks in the pasts, he added.
Horticulture Specialist Khondker Md. Mesbahul Islam said production of both winter and summer variety onion has been increasing every year in recent times to reduce import of the essential commodity and achieve self-reliance.
According to the experts, there is no alternative to increasing production of onion as the nation still imports huge quantity of onion annually spending had-earned foreign currency to meet the growing local demand of the essential commodity.
The government has fixed a record target of producing 19 lakh tonne of onion from 1.90 lakh hectares land in the country during the current 2014-2015 Rabi season, official sources said.
Under the programme, over 8.55 tonne onion, about 45.04 percent of the fixed national target, will be produced from 85,579 hectares land in the northern region this time and the farmers have already started cultivation of the essential spicy crop.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources, a yield rate of 10 tonne onion per hectare has been fixed for this season on an average throughout the country.
Meanwhile, the very early variety winter onion has already appeared in the local markets keeping its price reasonable within Taka 25 to 30 per kilogram now though sowing of the seed continues in full swing everywhere.
The DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation, commercial banks and Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank and NGOs have taken adequate steps to make the onion farming programme successful.
The steps include distribution of high quality seed, disbursements of easy-term agri-loans at lower interest rates, providing training, technical assistance and inputs under various programmes.
Deputy Director of the DAE Zulfiquer Haider said onion import decreases every year as its production continues increasing following various government steps and the crop is being cultivated twice a year in place of only once during the winter in the past.
Besides, the farmers have been showing more interests in farming onion to earn better following disbursements of easy-term agri-loans and easier availability of the high quality seed in the northern region as well as everywhere in the country.
Onion production has been increasing in recent years as huge amount of the allocated agri-loans is being disbursed among the farmers to increase farming of the spicy crops though the same had been remaining idle with the banks in the pasts, he added.
Horticulture Specialist Khondker Md. Mesbahul Islam said production of both winter and summer variety onion has been increasing every year in recent times to reduce import of the essential commodity and achieve self-reliance.
According to the experts, there is no alternative to increasing production of onion as the nation still imports huge quantity of onion annually spending had-earned foreign currency to meet the growing local demand of the essential commodity.
