Onion production up 27pc: minister

Onion production has increased by about 27 per cent or 7 lakh tonnes year-on-year in fiscal year 2020-21, said Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque yesterday

Addressing the media on preparations for today's D-8 ministerial meeting on agriculture and food security, he said the agriculture ministry, upon the prime minister's directives, was able to increase the production to achieve self-sufficiency.

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"This year 33 lakh tonnes of onion have been produced. Bangladesh is now ranked 3rd in the world leaving behind the United States," he said.

Besides, as per the estimation of the Department of Agricultural Extension, 33.62 lakh tonnes of onion was produced in fiscal year 2020-21. However, according to data presented at a commerce ministry workshop last October, the country's yearly demand was about 25 lakh tonnes.

Moreover, about 29.55 lakh tonnes was produced locally while another six to seven lakh tonnes imported.

Since onion is perishable, some 25 per cent of the production gets damaged, it said.

Razzaque said Bangladesh has achieved unimaginable success in agriculture and food security.

He said overcoming all apprehensions, even amidst the pandemic's extreme adversity, Bangladesh maintained its food production trend. As per agriculture ministry estimates, 2.8 crore tonnes of Boro paddy was produced in fiscal year 2020-21, a record high for the country, he said.