Foreign onion seeds likely to sow problems, ryots warned

NASHIK, Nov 21: Onions trickling into India from abroad may have helped the Government score a few political points and create a mirage that...

NASHIK, Nov 21: Onions trickling into India from abroad may have helped the Government score a few political points and create a mirage that the shortage has eased but along with the precious tuber certain problems seem to have been imported as well.

Agricultural scientists here have cautioned farmers against using these onions for seed production as adequate quarantine measures may not have been observed. Moreover, by virtue of their foreign origin, these onions may not be compatible with soil and other conditions here. Hence, seeds from these varieties could sow problems in Indian soil which could be counterproductive for years to come, they warn.

Scientists at the National Horticulture Research and Development Foundation (NHRDF), a Central Government agency, say onions imported from Iran, Syria and Holland which are being distributed in various parts of the country have brought in soil from these countries as well. If proper quarantine is not observed, the foreign soil could infect domestic soil, theypoint out.

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Scientists say they are not yet sure whether the imported onions belong to the `short day’ variety or the `long day’ variety and therefore doubt whether the tuber will sprout and bolt in domestic soil if used for seed production, which takes 12 to 18 months.

The temptation, though, could be great as sowing for the Rabi (summer) season has already begun, amid an acute seed shortage. This has pushed prices up from the usual Rs 140 per kg to a whopping Rs 400 per kg. Farmers have been alerted and an announcement to this effect was also made by NHRDF Director U B Pandey at Lasalgaon during a visit to the town recently.The NHRDF is experimenting with onions imported from Iran, Holland and Syria at its experimental farm to ascertain their varieties and whether they can adapt to Indian conditions. If seeds from imported onions fail to sprout and bolt, it would create a further seed shortage next year. The cascading effect could even alter the onion production cycle adversely, scientists say.

Almostall Indian onions are of the `short day’ variety, which require 12 to 13 hours of day lengths. They also require temperatures ranging between 13 and 24 degrees celsius during vegetative growth and 15 to 21 degrees celsius for bulb development. Ideally, domestic varieties flourish in temperatures ranging between 20 and 25 degrees celsius during bulb development. Scientists have therefore advised farmers to use only domestic varieties for seed production.

The `long day’ variety, on the other hand, requires day lengths of over 14 hours and lower temperatures than `short day’ varieties. In India, domestic varieties are `short day’ types and the Kharif onions (monsoon crop) can be cultivated even under 10 to 11 hours day lengths.

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Meanwhile, about 50 tonnes of onions have arrived in Nashik, but have no takers as most of the crop was much too perishable. Also, the major wholesale markets at Lasalgaon, Manmad and Pimpalgaon, where traders have boycotted auctions since Friday, remained closed today for theweekend.