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Onion, a problematic crop
By SIRAJ-UL-HASAN
Onion is an important crop of Pakistan, being both a popular
vegetable and a condiment at the same time. Hardly any food
dish is prepared without it. It is also important as it is
an exportable crop. Alongwith its importance, the onion is
vulnerable to periodic crises - some times on account of the
shortfall in the two main onion producing provinces of Sindh
and Balochistan or delayed harvesting and occasionally due
to heavy export.
 Tracing the history and nature of the onion crises to a
number of years in the past, it is revealed that the worst
of these crises took place in 1983-84 due to a serious
shortfall in Balochistan coupled with unusual delayed
harvesting in Sindh with its heavy movement to export
outlets.
Another crisis, although of less intensity, over-took the
country after about six years in 1989-90 because of some new
factors viz less area sown in the Punjab, un-timely rains
and a wet spell and un-favourable conditions of the NWFP
crop.
Again, after only three years, during 1992-93, the country
was confronted with an onion crisis causing acute shortage
in supplies and abnormally high prices on account of the
extensive damage caused to the Sindh main winter crop by
unprecedented floods (which practically washed it away,
requiring re-sowing).
Still, another onion crisis repeated itself in the closing
months of 1998 mainly due to the record export destined to
India mostly by the land-route where the onion crop met with
failure. Besides India, onion export continued as usual to
the Gulf states, Sri Lanka, Singapore and China.
The latest onion crisis, although of short duration,
occurred in November 2003 and is still continuing although
with lesser intensity and shall be averted completely by the
increased supply of the crop (which had been unusually
delayed due to its washing away by heavy rains soon after
sowing, requiring resowing). Now with the advent of Ramazan,
this year as usual onions are selling at exorbitant prices
almost all over the country.
With the crisis occurring again and again after the lapse of
a few years, the government should be extra vigilant about
the onion situation as any negligence in this regard could
create a number of problems.
Suggestions:
In order to cope with the problems caused by the
oft-repeated onion crisis, it is suggested that an early
warning system should be introduced for the onion crop on
the pattern of agriculturally developed countries.
Under this system, close and regular watch is kept by the
agricultural extension and marketing personnel right from
the intention-to-sow upto harvesting and to moving the crop
to the market. For this purpose periodic signals are given
of the condition of the crop at various states.
And whenever any wrong is detected proper instructions are
given to correct the adverse situation.
PROFILE:
Onion is grown in all the four provinces of the country in
varying volumes and with different harvesting seasons. The
share of individual provinces in the country's onion
production along with harvesting seasons is given in
It is the Sindh winter crop which is exported abroad because
of its best quality. It is also greater volume-wise. The
Balochistan crop feeds the other three provinces during
September-November.
Area and production of onion in the four provinces during
the five years, ending 2003, are given in Table-II.
Onion prices failed to adopt any regular trend during the
period under review as is evident from the national annual
average wholesellers prices provided in Table-III.
TABLE-1
===========================================
Province Share in % Harvesting season
-------------------------------------------
Punjab 20 May-June
Sindh 40 Dec-March (Winter Crop)
April-May (Summer Crop)
NWFP 10 April-June
Balochistan 30 September-November
===========================================
TABLE-II
===================================================================
Area in '000' Hectares
Production in '000' Tonnes
Year Punjab Sindh NWFP Balochistan
Area Prod. Area Prod. Area Prod. Area Prod.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
1998-99 225.7 21.0 430.3 33.5 90.2 6.3 330.3 20.6
1999-2000 230.8 22.2 457.0 34.5 120.5 8.1 329.9 20.7
2000-2001 247.6 22.5 703.8 49.4 147.0 9.9 549.6 28.0
2001-2002 152.2 23.1 739.3 51.8 201.5 10.6 371.2 20.1
2002-2003 160.1 23.9 596.6 49.8 183.2 9.6 380.2 20.5
===================================================================
TABLE-III
==========================
Prices in Rs 40/Kg.
--------------------------
1998-99 453.02
1999-2000 161.21
2000-2001 279.91
2001-2002 225.02
2002-2003 275.08
==========================
Source Federal Marketing
Department (GoP)
EXPORTS Like prices, exports also did not maintain any
regular trend as is evidenced by the figures in Table IV.
TABLE IV
===================================
Qty in Tonnes
Value in '000' Rs
-----------------------------------
Quantity Value
-----------------------------------
1998-99 67,793 1,200,064
1999-2000 128,672 1,028,669
2000-2001 77,168 601,289
2001-2002 53,379 332,887
2002-2003 63,710 355,715
===================================
Source: Federal Board of
Statistic (FBS)
With a view to keeping the growers interested in the
cultivation of this important crop, the government fixes its
support prices periodically commensurate with its cost of
production.
In the event of increased production, with the export
remaining dormant and market prices falling below the
support price arrangements exist to purchase the commodity
by the government at support prices.
It is expected that the onion situation in the future shall
remain under control by introducing an early warning system
of crop and undertaking other proper policy measures as
required from time to time. However, there should be no room
for any complacency.
Courtesy: Business Recorder
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