HEAVY LOSSES IN BIG ONION HARVEST IN MATALE DISTRICT

Big onion cultivators in Galewela are facing difficulties due to the onset of fungal disease on their cultivation with the inclement weather condition prevailing in the area.

Cultivators say the leaves of the onion plantations have begun to wither leaving the tubes rotting with the fall of heavy rain. Farmers have to harvest the onions before maturity, fearing more damage, if the rains continue further. They had to forgo half of the usual harvest.

S.A. Rathnapala, a big onion cultivator in the area said his cultivation was infected with a fungal disease. About two acres of his cultivation was destroyed. He said: “We sprayed fungicide but it was all in vain. As there was the danger of the disease being spread further, we were compelled to harvest the crop prematurely fearing severe damage due to the withering leaves and the rotting tubes”. He also said even half of the normal harvest is doubtful.

Another farmer, Ajith Sumanasinghe also expressed the same views and added that he obtained a bank loan for his two acre cultivation but will have to incur losses. No one responsible has come to look into their difficulties.

Nimalasiri Kumarasinghe and K.G.N. Kumarasinghe, two more farmers who had done cultivation of 6 kilos of seed onions each also spoke of losses to their cultivation.

When the matter was referred to the Matale Deputy Agriculture Director Kusum Senevirathna, she said this year about 1,200 hectares had been cultivated with big onions in the Matale District with the expected harvest of 25,000 metric tonnes. However, with the spread of the disease, most of the cultivation began to rot.

She also said necessary measures would be taken after discussion with the State Minister of Agriculture, Vasantha Aluvihare.

There are instances where farmers have harvested 60,000 metric tonnes of big onions from 3,200 hectares of land during past several years, farmers say.