Nashik gets bite of global onion pie

The experiment was undertaken by the National Horticulture Research and Development Foundation (NHRDF) on behalf of the National Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Federation (NAFED) in onion-growing pockets of Nashik and Pune districts.

Seeds of ‘Mercedes’, a hybrid variety of Israeli onions, were imported from the US and distributed free to 25 farmers of Nashik district and 13 farmers of Pune district. The farmers agreed to supply onions of a specified variety and average size of 700 mm which some private German firms are committed to buying.

Because of very low presence of pyruvic acid, the Mercedes—a delicate yellow onion—does not emit the characteristic pungent aroma associated with Indian onions. However, it is more vulnerable to decay and fungal infection than its Indian counterparts.

The low-resistance factor could be a worry for Indian farmers and NHRDF. Two containers of a 75-tonnes trial consignment of regular Indian onions to Hamburg, Germany, were rejected in February 2003 after their contents developed fungus; the third container was found to be too strong for their tastes.

In fact, the idea of growing the Israeli variety for export to Germany took root there. The export potential of yellow onions is pegged at 40,000 tonnes per annum.

Though the experiment has taken off, inclement weather and unmet deadlines have led to a 50 per cent shortfall in yield; the target was 800 tonnes, but production just touched 400 tonnes.

‘‘The experiment is successful but we did not get the expected yield because of late sowing, post-sowing rains and an unexpected rise in temperature during bulb development,’’ joint director of NHRDF (R&D) Satish Bhonde told The Indian Express. ‘‘But we’ll be careful next year. We’ll bring the schedule forward and sow the seeds early so that bulbs develop before the temperatures rise.’’

Also up for change next year is the practice of distributing free seeds. The ex-US seeds cost Rs 4,000/kg (seeds for Indian varieties cost Rs 500-1000/kg). The average yield is over 200 quintals/acre, while Indian varieties yield 100-125 quintals/acre.

So far as the targets for next year are concerned, Bhonde says it will depend on the demand. ‘‘We are sending samples of the newly harvested commodity to buyers, and will gauge their response before setting any goals,’’ he adds.

One reason why NHRDF is confident of convincing farmers to sow the foreign onion despite the mixed results this year is because farmers have not suffered too many losses.

‘‘Sowing was delayed, the climate was first very cold and then very hot, which affected the yield,’’ says Kailas Sonawane, a farmer from Vinchur in Nashik’s Niphad tehsil, who grew yellow onions over 20 acres. ‘‘But though there is a shortfall, there is no loss for me as the yield and the price is equivalent to what other farmers growing indigenous varieties get.’’

According to Bhonde, efforts are also underway to create a domestic market for yellow onions, which could find use in soups, salads and in sandwiches and burgers. The rationale lies in an apprehension that the Germans may reject part of the consignment on account of the onions being smaller than the specified size.