Vikash Sharma

Bhubaneswar: “We were carrying out onion farming in several acres of land. But many of us are turning away due to lack of adequate storage and market linkage facilities. Had we got support from Odisha government, we would have continued the farming,” said Lokanath, an onion farmer.

Not only Lokanath, several other onion farmers from Rambha area in Ganjam district are now reluctant to take up onion farming which was the prime source of their livelihood since ages.

Farmers alleged that they are facing numerous problems in carrying out cultivation in the region owing to crop loss due to natural disasters and lack of adequate support from the State government.

Usually, it takes six to seven months to harvest onion crops but there is no cold storage in the area to preserve the produce. The existing godown also gets submerged during any natural calamity. Moreover, the farmers are not getting supply of seeds at the appropriate time owing to which which they have to procure seeds from local markets at a higher price, alleged a farmer.

“We do not get any support either from block or panchayat level. We are doing farming on our own and we were forced to sell our produce at Rs 8 to Rs 9 per kg last year; and this year also, we have suffered crop loss,” Said Ranjan Nayak, another farmer.

It is pertinent to mention here that Odisha is dependent on other States like Maharashtra to meet its onion requirement due to lack of adequate production in the State. Meanwhile, the farmers are now demanding that like paddy, the State government should provide adequate support for onion cultivation.

“It is unfortunate that due to lack of government's attention, onion production has gone down in the State. The way focus is being given on paddy and compensation is paid as per State Relief Code (in case of crop loss), benefits should be extended to onion growers,” said Bhimsen Behera, a local resident.

Under National Horticulture Mission, some benefits are extended to onion farmers who are getting a subsidy. But farmers are reluctant to take up the farming due to natural calamities. However, we are trying to persuade them and expand the area of farming in the region, informed deputy director of Ganjam Horticulture department, Digambar Panda.

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