Photo: BSS

 By Md Mamun Islam
 
RANGPUR, April 5, 2026 (BSS) - After exceeding the fixed farming target, enthusiastic farmers are set to produce an all-time record of nearly 150,000 tonnes of onions in Rangpur agricultural region during the 2025-2026 Rabi season.
 
Harvesting of this spicy crop is continuing in full swing with an excellent yield rate and is expected to be completed by this month-end in all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari in the region. 
 
However, farmers are not very satisfied with the current market price of onion, which ranges from Taka 800 to Taka 1000 per maund (40 kg), depending on the variety and quality of this freshly harvested spicy crop.
 
Earlier, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) had set an all-time record target of producing 1,45,272 tonnes of onions from 11,931 hectares of land for Rangpur agricultural region during the 2025-2026 Rabi season. 
 
Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md Sirajul Islam told BSS that the record onion production target was set considering the growing demand and high prices to meet local demand of the essential spicy commodity. 
 
Accordingly, farmers started farming early tuber varieties of onion soon after harvesting short-duration Aman rice in the region and began harvesting those from mid-November and earned satisfying profits then.
 
Later, transplantation of onion seedlings continued till February last.
 
"Finally, farmers brought 12,105 hectares of land under onion cultivation exceeding the fixed farming target by 174 hectares of land or 1.46 percent in the region," he said.
 
Till Saturday, farmers harvested onions cultivated on 7,210 hectares of and produced 90,586 tonnes of onions at an average yield rate of 12.56 tonnes per hectare of land.
 
"The current yield rate predicts that farmers are likely to produce an all-time record 1.50-lakh tonnes of onions after completing harvest this season in the region," Sirajul Islam said.

In the last 2024-2025 Rabi season, enthusiastic farmers produced 1,19,811 tonnes of onions by cultivating the spicy crop 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 2023-2024 Rabi season in the region.
 
"There is a bright prospect of further increasing its production in this region by ensuring proper crop diversification and providing more training and the latest technology to farmers," Sirajul Islam added.
 
The DAE, Spices Research Institute, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture are providing quality seeds, training and technologies to farmers for enhancing onion production. 
 
Market sources said that the price of locally produced onions in the local market is now between Taka 20 and Taka 30 per kg depending on varieties and quality. 
  
Md. Hafizur Rahman, a vegetable trader at Rangpur City Market, told BSS today that farmers are currently selling freshly harvested local variety onions to wholesalers at Taka 750 to Taka 900 per maund. 
 
Retailers are buying better quality onions from wholesalers at Taka 800 to Taka 1,000 per maund and lower grade onions at rates between Taka 700 and Taka 800 per maund. 
 
"Finally, retailers are currently selling locally produced onions to consumers in local markets at a price of Taka 20 to Taka 30, depending on size and quality," Hafizur added.
 
In an interview with BSS, farmers Jamal Ahmed, Kashem Al and Bakul Mia from different villages in Rangpur Sadar upazila said they have already harvested their cultivated onions and have achieved a super bumper yield rate this season.