Dambulla onion farmers fobbed with low quality seed

Some farmers in Dambulla area who have planted low quality imported B Onion seeds bought from a private company are now facing a heavy financial loss. Most seeds do not germinate, they say.

According to Provincial Deputy Director of Agriculture, Prasanna Pallemulla, only 30%-40% of the seed stocks are germinating.

Imported seeds under the law are required to conform to certain quarantine requirements and international certification. The seed certification unit of the Department of Agriculture issues the permit to seed importers meeting the necessary requirements. “An inquiry certainly must be held to find out how such low quality onion seeds were imported,” an affected farmer said.

Dambulla is home to over 6,000 farmers in 11 Divisional Secretariat divisions. The main occupation of farmers in Galewala, Naula and Pallepola District Divisional Secretariats in Dambulla is onion cultivation.

The country’s B Onion consumption averages 10,000 tonnes a month. The annual requirement is 120,000-150,000 tonnes. The requirement of red onions per year is about 90,000 to 100,000 tonnes.

The Jaffna Peninsula and Vavuniya had been traditionally onion producing areas, but because of the conflict, farmers started producing Onions in the south, in districts such as Matale, Kurunegala and the North Central Province. (IJ)