Midseason indigenous big onion cultivation is very successful in Matale district, but the farmers do not have even the basic facilities provided by the authorities to continue it. However, the annual requirement of big onions to the country is over 2,50000 metric tons while in the past 40 percent of it was produced in Matale district. In the last year it was reduced up-to less than 2 percent.
A young farmer in Ussana irrigation colony in Dewahuwa area Sudath Dinesh Gunathilaka said, “I used only three quarters of an acre for this cultivation. One kilogram of onion seeds was utilized for this purpose. Midseason big onion cultivation is very successful. So, I could earn over Rs.8 million.
In the past, the authorities neglected big onion cultivation. As the result, indigenous big onion cultivation collapsed. However, after the present Government came into power, the big onion cultivation has rejuvenated. If the Government provides even the basic facilities for this cultivation, the annual requirement of big onions can be produced here easily within a short period”, Gunathillaka said.
A. A. L. Dias