UP farmers can now grow onion twice a year, courtesy CSA
Kanpur: Scarcity of onions during the monsoon would no longer be an issue as farmers in Kanpur region will now have two cycles of onion cultivation, which was earlier not possible in the central plains of the state.
The feat could be achieved courtesy the scientists at the Chandra Shekhar Azad University for Agriculture and Technology, (CSA) who after many successful field trials have developed a technology to do the same.
“We are all set to pass on the technology to the farmers. To begin with, the onion would be cultivated in 1000 hectares during the Kharif season,” said Har Prkash, director, research, CSA University.
“Lal Bhima variety of onions will be grown in Kharif season as the climatic condition of Kanpur suits the onion cultivation,” said Prkash.
“We are expecting the seeds of Lal Bhima from Onion and Garlic Research Centre Pune in sizeable quantity. It will help end the shortage of onions in rainy season,” he said.
In India each year 5.5 to 6 million tons of onion is produced.
“While majority of it is produced during April-May (Rabi) season, the onion cultivation in October or Kharif season accounts for 20% of total production. Onion cultivation was not possible during the monsoon in Uttar Pradesh like it is undertaken in Western and Southern India,” said Dr DP Singh, joint director, research.
“When the new crop of onion is not available during October and December, the stored onion is supplied. However, the big gap between demand and supply spikes the prices,” he said.
The new coordinated technology was the result of trials carried out at multiple locations, which found that the Lal Bima variety of onion could be grown in the central part of Uttar Pradesh.
“It can also be grown in other parts of the country during Kharif season depending on the climatic conditions there,” said Singh.
For growing onions under the coordinated technology two main conditions are required.
First, the fields should be free from waterlogging and the soil should be loam or “domat’ (it is composed mostly of sand, silt and smaller amount of clay).
According to Singh, with the new technology, the farmers could easily get a yield of 40 to 45 tonnes per hectare.
The onion grown with the help of new technology would also be rich in Sulphur which would protect it from being soiled due to water or moisture.
“It would only need 14 hours of sunlight for drying up,” Singh added.