Onion farmers celebrate high price

Kurnool: Onion growers in the district are celebrating the high price of onions, which touched Rs 10,180 per quintal on Monday.

Though the area under onion cultivation is less this year compared to previous year and yield too is not much, they are getting the dream price for whatever produce they got.

According to the horticulture department assistant director Raghunath Reddy, Kurnool is the largest producer of onions in the state.

Farmers usually cultivate the crop in around 50,000 hectare but this year the extent was only 26,000, slightly more than a half.

Though the extent was less, the crop is getting a good price, elating farmers. Raghunath Reddy said onion kharif season has almost come to an end and rabi crop is yet to come.

Kurnool agriculture market yard secretary R Vijaya Lakshmi speaking to The Hans India said it was never expected that the price would touch Rs 10,180 a quintal.

This price may stay constant or may go up in the coming days. In decades and in the history of Kurnool the onions were not sold at this price, said Vijaya Lakshmi.

She further said that the spike in price was due to traders from various parts of the state flocking to Kurnool market yard to procure the commodity which is increasingly becoming scarce.

Of the total produce in the district, only 20 per cent is consumed by the residents of district and the remaining 80 per cent is transported to various parts of the country. The market has received 100 tonne onions on a single day on Monday, the secretary said.

Vijaya Lakshmi also said that the farmers were very happy and were celebrating the occasion.

The debts incurred by them in the previous years could be cleared with this good price. The price is also same at Hyderabad and Tadepalligudem market yards, she added.