Matale district big onion cultivators in dilemma

Matale district is very prominent among the areas where big onions are cultivated in Sri Lanka. Onion is cultivated in the areas such as Sigiriya, Dambulla and Galewela. In addition, the farmers in Naula, Kongahawela, Laggala, Pallegama and Wilgamuwa areas are engaged in big onion cultivation.  

The problems with which the onion cultivators are confronted are the unavailability of a good price in the market and a sufficient price according to the production, destruction of cultivation due to the existing weather conditions, no proper method to preserve seed onion production and no compensation for those who had their cultivation destroyed. The fate faced by the onion cultivators ever since the people began to appreciate the products imported from foreign countries. It is with great difficulty that they eke out their livelihood because of their indebtedness.  
Having faced such a big fate, several farmers had expressed their views about onion cultivation to the journalists.

• Big onion is cultivated in 3,293 hectares in Matale district
• The aim of the farmers was to increase the cultivation up to 1000 hectares in 2019  

A farmer, D.M.Nimal Dissanayake who is a resident in Yatigalpotta in Galewela said, “I gave 3000 kg of my onion harvest to a Muslim trader in Galewela about two years ago. On the first occasion, he gave me a big price. But still he owes Rs.250,000, which I did not receive. In spite of the fact that I went to Galewela police more than ten times, no justice was meted out so far. I did not go to Economic Centre in Dambulla because we do not get good price there. That is why we are being cheated by the private traders”  

According to data available, big onion is cultivated in 3,293 hectares in Matale district. But it shrunk to 703.5 hectares in 2018. The aim of the farmers was to increase the cultivation up to 1000 hectares in 2019. However, although there were 7000 onion farmers, only 1,765 are engaged in cultivation. As a result, the Central Province Agricultural Department said the annul onion harvest of 54,060 MT has come down to 14,075 MT in 2018. Some factors that have adversely affected the harvest were non-receipt of relief to the farmers, scarcity of farmers who cultivate onions, lack of storage facilities etc.,  

A farmer, E.G.P.Elegama in Galewela, who had 35 years of experience in onion cultivation said he had to abandon it due to recurrent issues. Instead, he was cultivating banana, coconut and chillie.  

He said, “onion cultivation became successful as there were relief from the government. But now, it is not. The farmers are in crisis. Through the agriculture department’s intervention, we were able to produce only seed onion. We sold the excess produce in the market. If the government stops import of onions and seed onions, it would be a great relief for the farmers. The onion cultivation could be restored, if the government provides relief to the farmers.”  

In addition to Matale district, big onions are grown in Kurunegala, Puttalam, Vavuniya and Mullaithivu, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts and in the areas that belong to Mahaveli ‘H’Zone.  The annual requirement is 280,000 MT. Out of this 232,318 MT are imported, according to the Customs data.  

A farmer, G.Gamini Ilangaratna in Kayanwala village in Sigiriya said two seasons of his cultivation had been destroyed and it incurred a loss of Rs.800,000 in all but not received any money as compensation.  

Onion cultivation became successful as there were relief from the government. But now, it is not. The farmers are in crisis

E.G.P.Elegama - Farmer - Galewela

Another villager Withange Nihal who is a farmer in the Pidurangala area in Sigiriya said they did not receive sufficient weedicides and the farms were overgrown with weeds. In the past, agriculture department collected seed onions from them for processing and returned to them. Now, They had to pay money for seed onions to the department, he lamented.  

The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock Development, Irrigation and Fisheries, P. Harrison imposed a condition recently that the big onion importers would not be given permits for importing, if they would not buy onions from the farmers. They are going to arrive at an agreement about the purchase of onions from more than ten farmers. Matale District Deputy Director of Agriculture, Mahinda Dodanwala said that they would look at this problem technologically and in a different way.  

“Due to irregular rainfall in Matale combined by drought, onion nurseries could not be maintained properly. Rain destroys the yield during harvest. That is what had happened during the last four years. As a result, the onions lose its quality and the prices too suffer a sharp decline. As the result of these factors, we believe Dambulla area is not suitable for onion cultivation. We tried our best, but did not see any success.”  

It is not only the onion cultivation, the entire agricultural activities suffer similar fate. The middle men and large-scale businessmen are benefitted. The steps taken by the ministry of agriculture to impose taxes for importing onions is appreciated. But, no one knows how successful it would be.