Photo : BSS

THAKURGAON, Dec 7, 2025 (BSS) - Farmers in Sadar upazila are experiencing significant success in cultivating the summer onion variety Nashik Red N-53, raising hopes of reducing the district’s onion shortage as well as the country’s dependence on imports. 

Benefiting from agricultural incentives and direct technical support from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), many farmers have achieved impressive yields and strong market prices.

Farmers Nagendra Nath Roy of Molani village in Debipur union and Mohammad Anwar of Sabdal Bazar in Balia union are among those who have successfully harvested the off-season onion variety. Encouraged by the initiative, more farmers in the region are venturing into summer onion cultivation.

One such farmer, Abedul Islam from Mohubasi village in Rahimanpur union, cultivated onions on one bigha of land this season with support from the Agriculture Department.

 Each onion from his field weighs between 100 and 150 grams, while three to four onions together—including the plant—can weigh up to one kilogram in raw form. 

He expects to earn at least Taka 80,000 from the plot. “This is my first time cultivating onions out of season, in summer,” he said. “Although growing onions in the heat is challenging, I am happy with the yield and the current market price.”

Thakurgaon Sadar Agricultural Extension Officer Abu Abdullah Al Mujahid said the summer onion variety is both heat- and rain-tolerant, making it suitable for cultivation between August and December. 

“Farmers can harvest the crop within 100 to 110 days of planting, and per-hectare production ranges from 11 to 13 metric tons,” he added.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Nasirul Islam said that Bangladesh once relied almost exclusively on winter onion production. “Now, to increase production and ensure year-round supply, we have distributed free fertilizers and seeds of the summer variety to small and marginal farmers under government incentives,” he said. 

According to him, 500 farmers in Sadar upazila received such support this season.

Senior officials including District DAE Deputy Director Agronomist Majedur Rahman and Additional Deputy Director (Horticulture) Agronomist Jahangir Alam have been regularly monitoring progress in the fields.

According to the District Agricultural Extension Department, farmers are showing their  interest in summer onion cultivation . Officials believe that expanding production of this variety will not only increase farmers’ income but also help reduce the country’s dependency on onion imports and save valuable foreign exchange.