Onion farmers in Shailkupa upazila of Jhenaidah fear heavy losses even before planting season as seed prices have doubled compared to last year.
Growers allege seed traders are taking advantage of increased demand and selling at twice the government-approved rate.
Shailkupa is one of the largest onion-producing belts in the region. Farmers here follow two methods, using bulbs or nursery seedlings, with most farmers preferring seedling cultivation.
Seedbeds are now being prepared, and many growers have already begun producing seedlings ahead of planting between late November and late January.
According to the upazila agriculture office, the target for 2025–26 financial year is set at 12,279 hectares, up from 12,032 hectares last year.
The upazila produced 240,640 tonnes of onions last year, and officials project 245,580 tonnes this season if no major crisis occurs.
Of the total land, 422 hectares will be used for bulbs and 11,857 hectares for seedlings.
Local seed traders say farmers are buying hybrid varieties such as Lal Teer Hybrid, Lal Teer King, Indian Sukhsagar and several domestic breeds. Farmers prefer high-yielding hybrids because they fetch higher market prices than local varieties.
Lal Teer hybrids reportedly produce 120–140 maunds per bigha, while Sukhsagar yields close to 100 maunds. Traditional varieties produce only 55–60 maunds and sell at lower prices.
Farmer Shariful Islam said he sowed three kilogrammes of Sukhsagar hybrid seed for three bighas but backed away from buying Lal Teer Hybrid after dealers forced additional purchases of Lal Teer King, a poor performing variety.
Another farmer, Akul Biswas, said he sowed seed on 48 decimals but seed and fertiliser costs had become unbearable. A DAP fertiliser bag priced at Tk1,050 is now selling for Tk1,750 in the open market, he said. He also alleged that a one-kilogramme packet of Lal Teer Hybrid, which has a printed maximum retail price of Tk32,000, is being sold at double that rate.
“All varieties of seed have doubled this year,” he said.
Farmers Polash Hossain, Khairat Ali and Ohid Ali said last year one kilogramme of Lal Teer Hybrid cost Tk28,000, but the price has risen to Tk62,000 this season. Sukhsagar hybrid seed, priced at Tk3,000–3,500 per kg last year, now sells for Tk6,500–8,000.
Polash Hossain, who plans to plant seedlings on six bighas, said half of his nursery seedlings had already been damaged. The prices of fungicides such as ‘Nuna’ and ‘Miravis Duo’ also double during the onion season, pushing per-bigha costs to nearly Tk70,000.
“We pay more for seed, fertiliser and pesticides, but we cannot sell onions at higher prices,” he said, urging the government to ensure adequate fertiliser supply.
Upazila agriculture officer Arifuzzaman said the upazila had received 25,000 more bags of DAP fertiliser this season compared to last year.
Sixteen drives have been conducted, and three Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation dealers and several sub-dealers have been fined for irregularities.
“We will act if we receive complaints about artificial fertiliser shortages. We hope there will be no crisis this season,” he said, but declined to comment on seed prices.
Seed trader Sushanta Kumar, a dealer for Lal Teer seeds, said he received only 14 kg of Lal Teer Hybrid this year and that the company required him to buy 10 kg of Lal Teer King for every kg of Hybrid.
“There is no demand for the King variety; that is why the price has increased,” he said. Asked why he sold above the printed rate, he claimed the stock had already run out and others may have brought seed from neighbouring districts.
Fatema Kawsar Mishu, acting district seed certification officer, said no formal complaint had yet been received.
“If we get a specific allegation, we will investigate,” she said.
