Ilam farmers grow onions commercially

By Kokila Dhakal,Ilam, June 7: Farmers in Ilam have, of late, started giving priority to onion cultivation. This year, a single farmer in Ilam has produced up to 4,000 kgs of onions.

Prakash Parajuli, a farmer from Sandakpur Rural Municipality-2, Ilam, who sold 2,600 kgs (64 man) of onions last year, has produced around 4,000 kgs of onions this year. 

However, Parajuli said that he could not grow onion as per the target this year. “I have expected to grow 12,000 kgs (300 man) of onions on 10 ropanis of land this year. But the production target was not met in a lack of adequate rainfall," he said.

“If the government encourages farmers and motivate them to be self-reliant in onion and other farm productions, onions produced in the country can be sufficient to fulfill the national demand," he said.

 Parajuli said that still six trucks of onions were in demand from the farmers of his village, but they were unable to meet the demand. He said that he was planning to wait for some time and sell the onions when their prices go up.  Currently, a kg of onion is sold at Rs. 40 in the local market.

According to him, he planted 1,000 grams of onion seeds with a cost share of Rs. 25,000 from Sandakpur Rural Municipality and Rs. 25,000 from himself. He said that he made a profit of Rs. 150,000 from the sale of onion last year 

Parajuli started commercial farming of onions from last year after realising that onions, which are mostly used as spices and vegetables in Nepali kitchens, could give a good return.

Seeing that Parajuli is getting good production and income from onions, other farmers of Sandakpur Rural Municiplaity-2 have also produced onions this year. 

Locals Bhim Khatiwada, Chetnath Sapkota, Bishnu Khanal and Thakur Niraula have also started growing onion from this year. Each of these farmers have produced around 15 man to 16 man of onions.

Meanwhile, Sambed Chapagain of Ilam Municipality-5 has produced around five man (200 kgs) of onions in two ropanis of land. He said that there is no problem of market to sell their onion. The onions produced in the village are also consumed in the local market, he said. 

Mohan Subedi of Maijogmai-5 had also planted onions on about three ropanis of land. According to him, around 400 kgs of onion s were produced this year.

Farmers from all municipalities in the district, including Suryodaya Municipality, Rong Rural Municipality, Ilam Municipality and Deumai are cultivating onions commercially.

According to the statistics of the Agricultural Knowledge Centre, Ilam, onions are cultivated on 115 hectares of land in the district. According to the centre, around 1,974 tonnes of onions were produced in the district last year.