Farmers in Sindh losing appetite for onions
https://www.dawn.com/news/2021780
Sindh's farmers are abandoning onion cultivation due to declining yields, production losses, and inadequate research support. Noor Ahmed Marri, a small onion producer in Tandojam, switched to banana cultivation after losing interest in onion farming due to economic and production losses. The decline in onion cultivation is not limited to Sindh, as Nasirabad in Balochistan also sees onion growers hesitant to continue due to weather conditions and disease.
Researchers attribute the issue to a soil-borne fungus, Fusarium, which has been difficult to cure. Sindh leads in onion production, followed by Balochistan, with Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa contributing to nationwide production. Farmers incur high costs to grow onions, making them economically unviable due to losses. Agricultural research bodies have failed to provide farmers with the necessary support to overcome the disease and improve yields.
The Economic Survey of Pakistan 2025-26 noted a 2.2pc decline in onion production, and farmers feel helpless about the crop's future. Despite global advances in yield and exportability, Pakistan lags behind, with onion exports only making up 2.5pc of production.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
