An increase in production and harvest of small onions has resulted in the price of small onions falling by more than 100%. Though Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) predicts that the chances for increase in price of the staple vegetable is remote, veteran small onion farmers say they need to be smart and patiently wait for prices to go up by at least 75% in May-June.
The price of shallots which was around 60 per kg in November and December fell sharply to around 24 per kg in the week post-Pongal. The fall in prices has worried thousands of farmers who have cultivated small onions in the state during or just after the heavy northeast monsoons. Tamil Nadu is the largest producer of small onion in India. It accounts approximately 90% of country's shallot production.
The back office of Agro Marketing Intelligence and Business Promotion Centre (AMI& BPC) predicts that the price of the vegetable is unlikely to increase in March-April too. ""Currently the small onion arrivals from Dindigul, Trichy, Perambalur and Tirupur markets are very high. This is affecting the farm harvest price of small onions,"" said a statement from the centre.
Small onion farmers in Coimbatore and neighbouring districts say this trend of low prices occurs every alternate year during this season. "" Prices of small onions usually drop when too many farmers begin cultivating it after seeing high prices the previous season,"" said Thondamuthur-based farmer T Kathiresan who has been cultivating small onions for the past two decade. ""Another reason for fall in prices is that all farmers want to harvest their crop immediately after Pongal, and so too much produce hits the market,"" he said.
The district secretary of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association A Kandasamy said the price of small onions which was around 60/kg in markets and around 45/kg at the farm gates during Diwali, enticed farmers to cultivate small onions as a Rabi crop in October and November. ""The good rain also resulted in increased production because moist soil conditions helps in bulb formation,"" he said. The acreage under cultivation in Coimbatore district alone should have gone up by 200 hectares, said Kathiresan.
Farmers say it would be advisable to store the onions or not harvest it till March-end. ""We expect the prices to go up in April-May during the summer, because cultivation will come down. That is when you have to sell your produce,"" said Kathiresan. ""We expect prices to go up to 40 per kg in May,"" he said. ""Unfortunately only 10% of the small onion farmers store their produce and wait for good prices to sell,"" he added.
The major small onion growing states are Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Major importers for small onion are Bangladesh, Malaysia, UAE and Sri Lanka.
The price of shallots which was around 60 per kg in November and December fell sharply to around 24 per kg in the week post-Pongal. The fall in prices has worried thousands of farmers who have cultivated small onions in the state during or just after the heavy northeast monsoons. Tamil Nadu is the largest producer of small onion in India. It accounts approximately 90% of country's shallot production.
The back office of Agro Marketing Intelligence and Business Promotion Centre (AMI& BPC) predicts that the price of the vegetable is unlikely to increase in March-April too. ""Currently the small onion arrivals from Dindigul, Trichy, Perambalur and Tirupur markets are very high. This is affecting the farm harvest price of small onions,"" said a statement from the centre.
Small onion farmers in Coimbatore and neighbouring districts say this trend of low prices occurs every alternate year during this season. "" Prices of small onions usually drop when too many farmers begin cultivating it after seeing high prices the previous season,"" said Thondamuthur-based farmer T Kathiresan who has been cultivating small onions for the past two decade. ""Another reason for fall in prices is that all farmers want to harvest their crop immediately after Pongal, and so too much produce hits the market,"" he said.
The district secretary of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association A Kandasamy said the price of small onions which was around 60/kg in markets and around 45/kg at the farm gates during Diwali, enticed farmers to cultivate small onions as a Rabi crop in October and November. ""The good rain also resulted in increased production because moist soil conditions helps in bulb formation,"" he said. The acreage under cultivation in Coimbatore district alone should have gone up by 200 hectares, said Kathiresan.
Farmers say it would be advisable to store the onions or not harvest it till March-end. ""We expect the prices to go up in April-May during the summer, because cultivation will come down. That is when you have to sell your produce,"" said Kathiresan. ""We expect prices to go up to 40 per kg in May,"" he said. ""Unfortunately only 10% of the small onion farmers store their produce and wait for good prices to sell,"" he added.
The major small onion growing states are Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Major importers for small onion are Bangladesh, Malaysia, UAE and Sri Lanka.