Farmers in the vegetable cultivation hub of Idukki’s Kanthallur have started taking up cultivation of onions.
The rain-shadow region is a hub of tropical, sub-tropical and temperate crops and is famous for cool season fruits and vegetables such as hill garlic, heirloom beans and even commercial strawberry.
There has been a constant demand from farmers and extension officials in Kanthallur for assessing the potential of cultivating onions on a commercial scale there. Scientists at Kerala Agricultural University initiated research on this front three years ago. The challenge was to identify the ideal cropping season and production practices to raise the crop economically at the high altitude of 1,000-1,500 m above the mean sea level (MSL).
Early kharif
After three years of research and field studies with the farmers, researchers could pinpoint early kharif (from February to July) as the ideal season for onion cultivation in Kanthallur’s dry hills. Farmers from four locations — Keezhanthur, Vettucaud, Kanthalloor and upper Perumala — participated in the evaluation trials. Twelve varieties were evaluated in the high hills.
“The crop was initially grown by supplying seedlings raised in the plains until the farmers were acquainted with the growth of the plant, its management, bulbing and primary post-harvest handling. After two years of constant support, the farmers began to raise the seeds on their own in the open field during mid-February, transplant seedlings during mid-April and harvest them by the middle of July. The farmers are now confident of raising the seedlings using the transplant technology on their own,” according to project leader from the KAU Jalaja S. Menon.
The harvest festival at Kanthallur and Keezhanthur was inaugurated by grama panchayat president P.T. Mohandas.
Farmers were of the opinion that the crop was easy to manage and require four or five irrigations only as they were receiving intermittent rain. The big bulbs of the white onion were a special attraction and were also good in yield, Dr. Menon noted.
During the harvest after 82-90 days, more than 95% of the plants showed bulb formation. The average bulb weight was 60-100g with an average yield of 22 tonnes a hectare. Kanthallur farmers are now actively considering onions as an additional option in their basket of choices.
