Prolonged storage of small onion under traditional methods in the open fields in a cluster of villages has resulted in decay of the bulbs, forcing the farmers to sell it away at throwaway price.
The farmers stock the small onions in a traditional way using hay in open fields and sell it when prices are attractive.
The natural storage, called ‘paththi’, can stock about one tonne of the produce, depending on its size.
A number of onion cultivators in P.K. Agaram, Padalur, Siruganur and neighbouring villages are brisk clearing the produce from the ‘paththi’ storage for being sold at the Gandhi Market or to wholesale dealers in Dindigul.
A farmer of P.K. Agaram, G. Balakrishnan, said that he had invested a huge sum of money for raising onion on five acres during the Margazhi pattam. The bulbs were harvested in mid-March this year and stocked under traditional method. “Although we waited for an attractive price, the price has not appreciated,” he said showing a handful of onions which had started rotting in the storage.
Another farmer Kamaraj of Siruganaur pointed out that at the time of raising the produce, fertilizer and other inputs cost him dear. He had incurred about Rs. 10,000 towards fertilizer for raising the produce in an acre. But he could hardly realise even the cultivation cost.
The farmers said that waiting any longer would damage the entire stock. The only solace was that the wholesale dealers from Dindigul made the purchase directly at the villages, thereby relieving them of any additional expenditure towards transport to the Gandhi Market in Tiruchi. The price over the past few days was Rs.25 a kg, they said.
Officials of the Agriculture Department confirmed that the price of onion had registered a dip during this summer.
The price would register a hike only during monsoon, the official said.
