Unseasonal rains set to hit onion output

NASHIK: Over 30,000 hectares of summer onion crops have been damaged due to untimely rains and hailstorms that hit Nashik district in April, according to statistics from the state agriculture department, reports Tushar Pawar.
This will hit the production of summer onions to the tune of over 55-56 lakh MT. Moreover, their shelf life is also expected to be affected, which may lead to a scarcity after mid-August. Officials said that normally, these onions have a shelf life of over six months, but due to the effect of the rain, they will not be safely stored for more than two months.
On average, over 23 MT of onions are grown in one hectare in Nashik. Of the country's total summer onion production, Maharashtra contributes 40%, while Nashik contributes 50% to the state's yield. Now, this harvest is likely to be reduced to around 18 MT per hectare.