Photo: BSS

By Md Mamun Islam
 
RANGPUR, Dec 12, 2025 (BSS) – Farmers are continuing cultivation of onions in full swing with huge enthusiasm amid soaring prices of the essential commodity in all five districts of Rangpur agricultural region.
 
The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) officials today told BSS that farmers have started harvesting the tuber variety of onion and getting satisfactory prices as transplantation of onion seedlings will continue till early February.  
 
According to market sources, local varieties of onions are being sold at rates between Taka 120 and Taka 130 per kg and the newly harvested tuber variety onions with leaves between Taka 60 and Taka 70 per kg in local kitchen markets.
 
In view of the growing demand for onions and its frequent shortages, the DAE has fixed an all-time record target of producing 1,45,272 tonnes of onion from 11,931 hectares of land for Rangpur agricultural region during the current Rabi season. 

“The record onion production has been set to increase its production and meet local demand by reducing dependence on its import,” Additional Director (Incharge) of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md Shirajul Islam said.

In the last 2024-2025 Rabi season, farmers produced a previous record quantity of 1,19,811 tonnes of the spicy crop by cultivating onions on 10,223 hectares of land in the region. 

Earlier, in the 2023-2024 Rabi season, farmers produced 1,18,491 tonnes of onions from 10,006 hectares of land and 1,04,263 tonnes from 8,834 hectares of land in the 2022-2023 Rabi season in the region.

“Till Thursday, farmers cultivated onions on 7,297 hectares of land, 60.91 percent against the fixed farming target for all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari in the region,” he said.  

Meanwhile, farmers have cultivated tuber varieties of onions on 935 hectares and already harvested the same on 535 hectares of land producing 5,156 tonnes of onion with an average yield rate of 9.64 tonnes per hectare of land. 
 
Deputy Director at Burirhat Horticulture Centre in Rangpur of the DAE Agriculturist Md Abu Sayem said production of onion continues to increase every year in the region following different pragmatic steps taken by the government. 

The DAE, Spices Research Institutes, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute and other organisations are extending assistance to farmers to make the onion cultivation programme a success.
 
After getting the latest technologies and government incentives in terms of seeds and fertilisers, small and marginal farmers are expanding onion cultivation in both mainland and char areas to further enhance production of the spicy crop. 
      
“Onion production could be enhanced through adopting mixed-relay and intercropping methods and ensuring appropriate crop diversification and reaching the latest technologies to farmers in Rangpur region,” Dr Sayem added.
 
Talking to BSS, farmers Rabbi Hossain, Borhan Uddin and Mokhlesur Rahman of different villages in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur said they are harvesting the tuber variety of onion and preparing the same lands for transplantation of onion seedlings.

Similarly, farmers Niaz Morshed, Ruhul Amin and Jamal Hossain from Badarganj, Pirgachha and Gangachara upazilas of Rangpur said that after harvesting the Aman rice, they are now preparing to cultivate onions on the same lands.