Every year, it is said that almost a quarter of the country's total output of onions - which in 2020-21 stood at 3.3 million metric tonnes -  ends up wasted, going rotten due to bacterial infection, or exposure to excessive heat and vapour. That would equate to 825,000 MT of wasted onions in 2020-21. But this year, farmers in the country’s southwest have started reaping the benefits of using a new technology in the preservation of their perishable crops. An air flow machine, already being dubbed the ‘Air Conditioner (AC) for Onions’, - although the technique can be and is used in storage of other items as well-  is helping Faridpur's onion farmers to prevent a significant portion of their produce from going rotten. For the last couple of years, Bangladesh has been increasing its annual output of onions. But the country still has to import huge amounts of onion every year to meet demand. Both the importers and the local farmers incur losses due to surplus onions in the market, as prices come down and the product starts to rot. The air flow machine has arrived as a solution to this two-pronged problem. Also read: Bangladesh to export onions in 2-3 years: Agricultural Minister The cost-effective innovation, long in use in other parts of the world, is being championed in Bangladesh by a team of Southwestern Coordinated Water Resources Planning and Management Project-Phase II. The cost of setting up an Air Flow Machine is only Tk 15,000-Tk 20,000.

Strange as it may seem, but a bumper harvest has left many onion farmers in Magura in tears. Forget profit, they are struggling to recover even their production cost this year. Falling prices of the kitchen staple across Bangladesh are forcing these poor farmers to go for distress sales in the absence of any warehousing option that helps prevent a price collapse in case of a bumper yield. An essential part of the diets of millions of Bangladeshis, rich and poor, onions add flavour and texture to every meal. Besides, the pungent bulb is a rich source of key daily nutrients. Also read: Kushtia onion farmers struggle with production cost amid falling price Every year, Bangladesh witnesses onion crises. However, this year, farmers in Magura are facing a problem of plenty -- basically more supplies and less demand.

Continuous falling prices of onion in the market is making it difficult for Kushtia farmers to recover the production cost in spite of a good harvest this year. Wholesale prices of onion was at Tk 15 to 20 per kg while retail price of onion was at Tk 400 to 800 per maund, the UNB reporter saw during a visit to the largest onion market of Kushtia at Ponti in Kumarkhali upazila on Friday. According to farmers they are getting some Tk 400 to 500 less profit per maund this year compared to the last two years. According to the Kushtia Agricultural Extension Department, onions have been cultivated in 13,734 hectares of land in the district during this Robi season (October 15 to March 15). Onion prices started falling immediately after the new harvest arrived in the market as the retail price was at Tk 35 to 40 per Kg just two weeks ago. Also read; Importers fear losses as Indian onions flood Bangladesh markets “Production of per Kg onion has cost a farmer some Tk 25 to 35 including the prices of seeds, pesticides, workers, transport. The farmers are counting a loss of Tk 10 to 18 selling the onions at Tk 15 to 17 at the market Due to good weather some 60 to 80 maunds of onion have been produced per 27,00 square feet of land (1 Bigha) this season, said Faridh Sheikh, a onion farmer from Jotmora village in Kumarkhali Upazila.  

After failing to get fair price for onions in the previous season, farmers in differet upazilas here are dreaming of making up their loss this season thanks to bumper onion yield.

Farmers at Digong village of Kolaroa upazila in Satkhira are spending sleepless nights guarding their onion fields as rampant stealing of the much sought-after bulb directly from the field is leaving them despondent and distraught.