Nursery sowing of onions 60-70% short this season

Lower output could raise prices; traders urge govt to begin imports

So far this kharif season, farmers have completed just 30-40 per cent of nursery sowing of onions, owing to deficient rains in major growing areas. This might lead to a shortage during seed transplantation and, consequently, lower production.

At the beginning of the kharif season, it was predicted this time, the monsoon would be deficient due to the El Niño weather phenomenon. Therefore, the Maharashtra government had disconnected water supply connections from dams, canals and rivers for irrigation of kharif crops. As a result, only a small number of farmers managed to sow onion seeds, with the help of borewells.

“Till June 30, farmers covered just 20-30 per cent of the sowing area for seed germination. Usually, by June-end, more than three quarters of sowing area is covered for seedling, for final transplantation. Despite the fact that the seedling area needs less water for sowing, farmers remain apprehensive in covering larger areas due to fear of re-sowing on revival of the monsoon rains,” said R P Gupta, director, the National Horticulture Research and Development Foundation.

Once the monsoon revives by early next week, as forecast by the India Meteorological Department, onion seeds will be sown for preparation of seedlings in 45 days. As such, transplantation of onion seedlings will be delayed accordingly. Further, in case of uneven rains, productivity will be hit.

An impact on prices and arrivals has already been seen. Through the past month, onion prices have almost doubled in most spot mandis. In Lasalgaon (Maharashtra), Asia’s largest spot mandi for onions, prices rose by 80.49 per cent to Rs 1,850 a quintal.

“Stored onion is supplied from cold storages to mandis between June and mid-September due to sowing of the kharif crop. Thereafter, the new-season crop, especially from Karnataka, starts hitting the market. This year, however, sowing has already been delayed, resulting in delay in harvesting and, therefore, supply of the new-season crop. Since a very little quantity is left from the previous season, the price is likely to remain firm in coming months,” said Ajit Shah, president of Horticulture Exporters’ Association.

Meanwhile, the government fears western states, including Maharashtra, will see a drought-like situation this year. Consequently, arrivals in mandis have started declining. Barring the Delhi spot mandi, where the Food and Supply Department raided about 500 traders for possible hoarding, arrivals have plunged.

Traders believe prices will continue to surge in the coming weeks. In case of uneven rains, prices might soar to record levels. Gupta, therefore, urged the government to begin imports to keep prices under control.

Data compiled by the National Horticulture Board showed, India’s onion production stood at 19.30 million tonnes (mt) in 2013-14, with a cultivation area of 1.22 million hectares, compared with an output of 16.81 mt across 1.05 million hectares in 2012-13.