Farmers in Faridpur are passing busy time in taking care of the planted onion seeds on 1,854 hectares of land with the aim to meet local demand for the spicy vegetable.

The district’s Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) hoped a turnover of at least Tk 500 crore from the crop in the current season.

The district has long been renowned for onion cultivation, positioning the second-largest onion-producing region in the country. After jute, farmers here focus on paddy and onion farming due to its fertile soil, which is highly suitable for these crops.

Over the past one decade, the district has witnessed a bumper yield of onion seeds, covering more than 50 percent of the country’s total demand for government-certified onion seeds.,

The huge demand of the seeds has been playing a significant role in improving the livelihoods of local farmers, who call the seeds as “black gold” due to their high economic value.

In Faridpur Sadar, Boalmari, Bhanga, Madhukhali, and Sadarpur upazilas, huge farmlands are covered with white onion blossoms now.

A visit to Ambikapur union fields under Sadar upazila revealed that farmers and labourers were meticulously hand-pollinating the flowers due to a decline in bee populations, with others in weeding and applying pesticides to prevent rot.

Shaheda Begum and Lovely Parvin, two farmers from Ambikapur, said growing ‘black gold’ is like caring for a child.

The onion cultivation begins in November-December, with harvesting taking place in April-May. The seeds are then preserved for a year before being planted and sold in the following season.

During the onion seed season, labourers from different parts of the country come to the district to work in the fields.

Anwar from Pabna, Abdur Rahman Paramanik from Kushtia, and several others said that they have been migrating to Faridpur for over a decade to earn their livelihood through onion seed farming.

“We work tirelessly to ensure high-quality seed production. When yields are good, both farmers and workers benefit financially,” they said.

The scenic beauty of vast onion seed fields attracts visitors daily; with many taking selfies or filming videos amid the white blossoms.

The DAE hopes that this district will produce around half of the country’s onion seeds while the estimated production will stand at 964 metric tonnes this year. The market value is expected to surpass Tk 500 crore.

Faridpur Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer Anwar Hossain said that due to the high quality of the district’s onion seeds, they are in demand nationwide.

“Depending on the variety, prices range from Tk 2 lakh to Tk 5 lakh per maund, earning the crop its nickname ‘black gold,’” he added.

However, a recent fall in bee populations has created pollination challenges, forcing the agricultural department to train farmers on hand-pollination techniques.

Md Shahaduzzaman, deputy director of the DAE said that the area under onion seed cultivation has exceeded initial targets. “The number of farmers engaged in seed production is increasing every year. Favorable weather conditions this season have contributed to a promising yield,” he said.