The Hindu Business Line : Dharapuram ryots hit by poor quality onion seeds

BLISSFULLY ignorant about the quality of the onion seed sold by a private seed company, about 100 farmers in Dharapuram belt have burnt their fingers.

Farmers perceive some foul play in the quality of the seeds sold to them, as the produce (onion) could neither be grouped as the `Bellary' (big-sized) onion nor belong to the smaller variety.

"We have coined it as `Cheetha Bellary' (meaning small Bellary)," growers told Business Line.

The arrival, though comparatively low when compared with normal yield levels, is rotting at the market yard, as buyers are unwilling to lift the load even at rock-bottom rates.

Caught unawares, the growers pointed out that they had to necessarily take to cultivation of crops with minimal water requirement. "We have been raising onion and tomato, apart from other vegetable crops like cauliflower and beans for decades in this belt. We have not encountered such bitter experience in the past, though the yield levels tended to dip when monsoon failed. The last three years, however, has not been easy for most of us. Depleting water levels, lack of rain, poor crop yields and rising costs have driven us crazy. Now, we are left with loads of onion, which we can neither dispose of to settle our overdues with the bank nor hoard the stock anticipating a better bargain in the near future."

Raised in over 100 acres in Dharapuram region alone, the 120-day crop was harvested last week. The size of the onion bulb was enough to put them off. Yet to recover from the initial shock, the growers said that they had expended between Rs 18,000 and Rs 20,000 towards cultivation, anticipating good yield and better returns.

To a query on why they did not use the bulb for raising the crop, they explained that the bulb requirement per acre was as high as 600 kg, compared to 1.250 kg of the seed. The growers usually sourced the bulb from Tiruchy and Oddanchatiram, while the seed was available with a local fertiliser dealer.

As against a normal yield of 9 tonnes per acre, the farmers were able to harvest only 4 tonnes/acre this time. The big-sized onion yield generally ranged between 10 and 12 tonnes per acre. The onion was quoting at Rs 4 a kilo, but the consuming public were not prepared to take it for half that price. There was good demand for quality small onions from Maharashtra, which were quoting at double the rate (Rs 8 a kg).

Undeterred by the blow, the farmers are now looking at raising Bellary Onion during the current season. "What can we do? We have to eke out a living. But the Government can definitely help us by ensuring the quality seeds at reasonable rates. We are able to market the produce at the Uzhavar Sandhai and earn a reasonable return," they said.

More Stories on : Seeds | Horticulture/Fruits & Vegetables | Tamil Nadu

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
AIBP: States urged to be cost-conscious

Dharapuram ryots hit by poor quality onion seeds

Fading prospects

Rubber price firm as rains limit raw material arrivals

Mills stumped by SC ruling on cane pricing

Assam Co aims for NSE listing

Spot gold may consolidate

Will investors favour gold securities?

Platinum-palladium price gap to narrow: GFMS study

Soya well placed meet vegoil, animal feed demands: FAO

Cardamom steady on buying support