Farmers guard onion fields as prices skyrocket

Onion growers in Harirampur Upazila of the Manikganj district are vigilantly safeguarding their fields day and night to protect their produce from theft, amidst soaring market prices.

Due to the recent increase in market prices, farmers are grappling with the fear of theft, prompting them to spend sleepless nights patrolling their onion fields.

Notably, the Balla, Chala, Gala, Gopinathpur, and Ramakrishnapur unions in the upazila have experienced substantial cultivation of early onion varieties.

Reports from local farmers and the upazila agriculture office indicate that, spurred by favorable market conditions, incidents of onion theft have been reported in the Ramakrishnapur union. In response, farmers are taking proactive measures, setting up makeshift huts adjacent to their fields and keeping vigil throughout the night to deter potential thieves.

Abdul Malek, a farmer from Bahirchar village, expressed his concerns, revealing that three percent of his five-bigha land has already fallen victim to onion theft. Fearing further losses, some farmers are resorting to selling unripe onions directly from the fields.

Mangal, another farmer, shared an incident where a neighboring farmer had suffered significant onion losses due to theft. Fearful of a similar fate, he is now harvesting onions prematurely to prevent potential theft. The premature harvest is anticipated to result in a considerable reduction in overall onion yields for many farmers.

Harunur Rashid, cultivating onions on 40 decimals of his land, disclosed that one percent of his onion crop had been stolen, further highlighting the alarming trend.

Expressing surprise at the situation, Kamal Hossain, Chairman of Ramakrishnapur Union Parishad, assured efforts to enhance security in the entire area to curb onion theft. Meanwhile, Upazila Agriculture Officer Tauhiduzzaman Khan praised the region's suitability for onion cultivation, with Balla Union leading in onion production this year.

While no official complaints have been lodged with the Harirampur Police Station, Officer-in-Charge Shah Noor A Alam affirmed readiness to take legal action against any reported incidents of onion theft, pending a thorough investigation.