Telangana Government uncorks plan to give push to onion production

Hyderabad: Telangana State is all set to launch cultivation and production of onion seeds and increase the extent of onion cultivation.

For this the Agriculture department has prepared an action plan.

According to Telangana State Seed Development Agency (TSSDA) officials, the agency has already interacted with the senior officials at the National Horticulture Research and Development Foundation (NHRDF) and a MoU will be signed between the two in the presence of State Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy next month.

The MoU between the two agencies will provide the technological cooperation and training to the farmers showing interest in cultivation of onions and producing onion seeds.

TSSDA, Director, Dr K Kesavulu said that the TS delegation from the State has recently met the NHRDF, Joint Director, Hariprakash Sarma and other officials and held a discussion.

Further adding, he said, "preparations have already been made for the cultivation and production of onion seeds at Wanaparthy, during the current Kharif season.

Similar activity will be taken up in Rabi, in the combined Nizamabad and Adilabad, he said. Ahead of launching the programmes, the Agricuture department will be sending 25 farmers from the State to NHRDF, Nasikh for a three-day training in three phases.

Kesavulu said that the State has all necessary basic amenities and is suitable for growing quality onion seeds. "Growing onion seeds is suitable in the combined Mahabubnagar during the Kharif season.

In Rabi, the cultivation is suitable in the combined Adilabad and Nizamabad districts," he said.

The NHRDF will be extending cooperation in training farmers, besides, giving awareness on prevention of diseases to the onion crop and storage techniques.

That apart, it will also be providing three varieties of original seeds, viz., Red-4, dark red and white onions. The seeds developed will be provided at subsidized rates to farmers in the State from 2021.

Agricuture officials said that the farmers are likely to get an income of about Rs 80,000 per acre and the increase in production will also help to meet the domestic demand for onions in Telangana.

The State is also eyeing for the interstate supply of onions and will also explore exporting of onions from Telangana, Kesavulu said.