TIRUPUR: Even as onion prices are hovering between Rs 120 and Rs 150 per kg across the State, with a slight relief after the arrival of imports from Egypt, Tirupur farmers are contemplating reasons that led to the crisis.
Some have attributed the hike to poor supply from the district's Kundadam block saying that the region was once a major supplier providing around five tonnes of onions on a daily basis.
One of the traders K Shamsudeen said, "We used receive around 4-5 tonne of onion per day or 150-200 tonnes a month from Kundadam block from Dharapuram taluk to Tirupur. But over a period, supplies have dwindled to a few hundred kilograms. Now we receive less than one tonne per month. Price rise could have been arrested not just Tirupur, but also in Coimbatore and Erode district, had we got supplies from Kundadam."
A farmer Periasamy said, "Around ten years ago, 5,000 acres of land was used just for growing small and big onions in Kundadam. Over a period, farmers migrated to other crops due to water scarcity in the area."
Listing out other problems that led to fall in production, the farmer said production cost has also increased as a farmer has to shell out Rs 60,000 for an acre, adding that the crops were prone to damages due to severe rains.
"Stagnant water makes the crop prone for diseases and pest attack. Besides, farmers are attracted to producing coconuts and maize as these crops require less water and are disease resistant," he said.
These crops can be stored for several months, whereas onions can be stored only for two months, he added.
Farmers and Workers Party (Tirupur) district secretary K Eswaramoorthy pointed out the lack of storage facility as one of the major problems.
"Onions are highly perishable commodity. Most of the farmers and traders lack storage facility in the district. Even the biggest onion farmers in Dharapuram cannot store them for more than few hundred kilos," he said.
According to Joint Director - Agriculture (Tirupur district) S Manoharan, Kundadam was once a major contributor of onions (small and big).
"A few years ago, farmers showed interest in onions (small), but they had to plant - one tonne of onion stem to one hectare. Besides, cost of production increased and as a result, they moved to bigger onions. Unfortunately, the prices crashed to Rs 2-4 per kilogram. The loss impacted them severely resulting in migration to other crops like coconut and maize."
Now with rise of price, farmers are showing interest again and we are planning to distribute 500 kilos of onion (big) seeds to handle the situation, the official said.