Onion seed on 12 bigha: Tk 5-7 lakh in costs, seed worth Tk 28-36 lakh

A farmer (40) from Hogla village, Jagannathpur union, Kumarkhali upazila, Kushtia, started producing spice crops and seed on his own on just 16 decimals in 2003. He now farms about 20 bigha, 12 of it onion seed. Leasing, seed, pesticide and care cost Tk 40,000-55,000 per bigha. Each bigha yields 2.5 to 3 maunds of seed, and a maund sells for roughly Tk 80,000 to Tk 1 lakh, so each bigha produces Tk 2.5-3 lakh of seed. On 12 bigha that is 30-36 maunds worth Tk 28-36 lakh, against costs of Tk 5-7 lakh. By his own figures about Tk 25 lakh a year is left after costs. To keep output and quality up he irrigates and sets bee boxes so the onion flowers are pollinated. Growers call this costly seed black gold. He says seed production has low costs and high profit, and that he gets constant support from the upazila agriculture office. The upazila agriculture extension officer says many farmers have taken up seed farming after seeing him.