The Domestic and Export Intelligence Cell (DEMIC) of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has asked farmers to sell small onion upon harvest since storage will not yield higher net price.
DEMIC has forecast this trend based on the results found for the price of small onion in the last 14 years in the Dindigul market.
The results revealed that the price for the best quality one will be around Rs. 9 and Rs. 12 a kg, and the second best quality will be between Rs. 7 and Rs.9, from April to July this year.
The export and domestic seed demand will maintain the price. It is likely to increase in July.
Storage loss
But the storability of the produce grown through seedlings is a matter of debate. Also, storage loss, cost of storage, and other incidentals associated with storage will be more or less equal to the price increase.
According to National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation, in Tamil Nadu the area and production of onion in 2010-11 was 33,800 hectares and 3.39 lakh tonnes, respectively.
Keywords: onion prices
