South Asian demand boosts rose onion tags

Good demand from southeast Asian countries has boosted Bangalore rose onions prices. Growers are currently getting Rs 22 per kg as against usual Rs 10-11 per kg.

Bangalore rose onions, a relatively more pungent variety, are grown extensively over a 10,000-acre land in urban and rural Bangalore and Kolar district in two cropping seasons. This plantation yields peak production levels of 70,000 tonne annually.

"With the first crop for 2005-06 coming to an end, the state is targeting to achieve exports of over 25,000 tonne," said Umesh C Bagur, general manager, Karnataka State Agricultural Produce Processing and Exports Corporation (Kappec).

Demand for rose onions comes mainly from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Bahrain, Dubai, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and Kuwait. And exports of rose onions have been growing over the years with 16 active exporters. Exports of Bangalore rose onions are exclusively canalised through Kappec.

However, for lack of appropriate pre-harvest and post-harvest management, Karnataka was unable to export substantial quantity last year.

In 2004-05, the state exported 25,345.09 tonne of rose onions, of which Kappec's share was 1,341.01 tonne and private exports stood at 24,004.8 tonne. The total value of exports stood at Rs 52.57 crore.

Compared to that, in 2003-04, the state exported 36,182.71 tonne, of which Kappec's share was 700 tonne and private exports 35,482.71 tonne. The total value of exports was pegged at Rs 51.50 crore.

According to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), with the setting up of an agri export zone (AEZ) comprising the three districts, for rose onions, Karnataka has so far exported onions worth Rs 168 crore for a period of four years (from July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2005).

The AEZ also has taken care of implementing an appropriate pre- and post-harvest management and addressed a variety of issues in the value chain.

The AEZ project was envisaged with an investment of Rs 6.1 crore, of which Rs 1.92 crore was the Central government share, Rs 56 lakh from the state government and the remaining from the private sector.

More than 5,000 farmers have benefited from this project, and there has been an employment generation of over 15 lakh man days in the three districts.