Onion storage losses to increase

Storage losses of onion will increase this year due to high humidity and temperature, which lead to decay and sprouting.

About 45 per cent of the stored stocks will be available for consumption during September and October along with fresh early kharif arrivals from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh from August end, according to a report from National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation.

India's overall onion storage of rabi harvest is estimated to be around 18.90 lakh metric tonne this year compared with 20.75 lakh metric tonne last year.

The production is estimated to be around 59.42 lakh metric tonne compared with the last year's production of about 57.21 lakh metric tonne, which is 4 per cent more.

At present, due to sudden fall and rise in temperature, quality is getting affected and more bolters were observed in the April-May harvest. Due to the unseasonal rains and high temperature at the time of harvesting during April-May, the quality of onion bulbs has been affected.

As a result, the produce was not store worthy for longer period, especially in Maharashtra. This has affected the total storage of rabi onion in Maharashtra and Gujarat, which has been reduced by about 20-30 per cent compared with the last year.

In Maharashtra, farmers are vacating their rabi stocks, which had shown decay and is infected by fungi such as black mould and basal rot and by bacterial rot. About 30-35 per cent losses were recorded in stock due to these problems.

In Rajkot, Gondal, Dhoraji, Upleta, Paneli, Mahuva, Bhavnagar and Rajula of Gujarat about 20-30 per cent less onions were stored.

In the quality of medium to good bulbs 25-30 per cent losses were visible due to the rotting in Gujarat. The state is expecting a harmless kharif harvest this time to satisfy the market.

The kharif onion grown through bulblets in Rajasthan will start arriving in the market from October end. The Maharashtra and Gujarat kharif onion will be delayed by 15 days and is expected to reach the market by November end.

In the Nashik wholesale market, the onion price is between Rs 8.50-9 per kg on Friday. Gujarat - the second largest onion producing state - sells it for Rs 6 to 6.50 per Kg in the wholesale market.

But the news on the price hike and shortage reflected in the retail market, and onion rolled out from the common man's hand. Due to the onion price increase in the local market, as usual, the exporters requested Nafed to bring ban on onion for 15 days. But the government assumes the situation will calm down once the kharif onion takes charge of the market.