With farmers bringing stored onions in the market, a severe onion shortage is likely in the coming months. Farmers have begun bringing stored unhal variety because they fear that the crop is likely to rot and cause losses by October. Moreover, seeds are also likely to be in short supply causing further reduction in onion acreage.

In January, the climate was extremely cold and later there were unseasonal hailstorms and cloudy weather. The onion leaves began turning yellow. After testing, it became apparent that the yellowing was not caused by disease but by tissue death due to extreme cold.

Lasalgaon Agricul-ture Produce Market Committee (APMC) chairman Nanasaheb Patil said that it was extremely difficult to predict anything as of now. “Extreme cold and cloudy weather affected the crop. Then hail and rains damaged large amount of stored onions in onion chawls (storerooms). Hail ripped apart several large chawls belonging to farmers and merchants,” Mr Patil said.

“Farmers are bringing adequate onion to the market and we understand that some of the onion has been stored earlier. The keeping quality of onions have become so bad that farmers are scared to store it fearing total loss in October,” he added further.

“Some seed companies are asking farmers to plant kharif crop now on an experimental basis and see the results. This is because kharif seeds can be produced after October when the bulbs are replanted. Even seed companies feel that this onion may not last till then,” Mr Patil added.

Source - http://www.asianage.com/