JAMALPUR, Feb 1, 2024 (BSS) - Additional onion yield is expected as farmers
of the district brought more lands under its cultivation this year.

Farmers and agriculturists expect more than 35,781 tonnes of onion will be
produced from 2,721 hectares of land in the district during the current
season.

They also hoped that some advanced varieties of onion will be harvested
within the next couple of weeks that is presumed to help reduce the price
hike of the cooking ingredient.

According to Department of Agricultural Extension DAE), farmers cultivated
onion on 2,721 hectares of land with a production target of 35,781 tonnes,
which is 36 hectares more than the last year's cultivation... As a result,
474 tonnes additional onion production is expected this year than the
previous year.

Of the total, farmers cultivated onion on 811 hectares of land in Jamalpur
sadar upazila while 105 hectares in Sarishabari, 125 hectares in Melandah,
1,280 hectares in Islampur, 135 hectares in Dewanganj, 130 hectares in
Madarganj and 135 hectares of land cultivated in Bakshiganj upazila of the
district.

During the period, the DAE office of the district has adopted various time-
fitting measures including farmers training and providing incentives to them
to attain the production target.

A total of 520 small and marginal farmers got seeds and fertilizers free of
cost for onion farming in the district under the government's agriculture
incentive programme.
 
Under the programme, each of the farmers was given one kilogram of onion
seed, 10 kilogram of Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer and 10-kg of
Muriate of potash (MOP) fertilizer for cultivating onion on one bigha of
land.

According to the DAE office, farmers who cultivated early variety onion have
started harvesting from December last which will continue till March.

Deputy Director of DAE here Zakia Sultana said filed-level officials and
crops specialists of the DAE extended their field-level service round-the-
clock to acquaint the farmers with the modern methods of onion cultivation
through using latest technologies.

Due to favourable weather, in absence of pest attack and also intensive care
farmers are expecting good yield of onion this year, she added.