ANN/THE STATESMAN

The target area under kharif onion this year is 3.61 lakh hectares which is 27 percent higher than last year, the Ministry of Food said on Friday.

The availability of onion in the domestic market is comfortable, notwithstanding the marginally lower production of onion in the rabi-2024 season compared to last year’s production, the Ministry of Food said.

It further said that in Karnataka, the top kharif onion-producing state, sowing is completed in 30 percent of its targeted area of 1.50 lakh hectares, and sowing is making good progress in other major producing states.

Good and timely monsoon rains this year have provided a big boost for kharif crops, the Ministry of Food highlighted.

As per the assessment of the Ministry of Agriculture with the state governments, the area targeted for the kharif sowing of major vegetables namely, onion, tomato, and potato has seen a significant increase over last year.

It is to be noted that the onion crop is harvested in three seasons: rabi in March-May; kharif in September-November and late kharif in January-February.

In terms of production, rabi crop accounted for roughly 70 percent of the total production while kharif and late kharif together constitute 30 percent. Kharif onion plays an important role in maintaining price stability during the lean months between rabi and peak kharif arrivals.

As per the data shared by the Union government, the onion currently available in the market is a rabi-2024 crop, harvested during March-May, 2024.