A total of 25 farmer groups in Nawalpur have started commercial onion farming with support from the Prime Minister’s Agriculture Modernization Project. The project, through its Implementation Unit in Nawalpur, has provided a budget and subsidies to encourage farmers to engage in large-scale onion cultivation.
The farmer groups, located in Kawasoti, Madhyabindu, Hupsekot, and Bulingtar areas, have already established onion nurseries. The farming initiative is set to cover 20 bighas of land across the district.
To motivate farmers, the project has announced cash prizes for the highest onion producers. The first prize is set at NPR 20,000, followed by NPR 15,000 for second place, NPR 10,000 for third, and NPR 5,000 for fourth. These prizes will be awarded based on production output, not the size of the cultivated area, explained Sunil Kumar Singh, Chief and Senior Agricultural Officer of the Implementation Unit, Nawalpur East.
The onion promotion program aims to reduce Nepal’s dependency on onion imports by boosting local production. The demand for onions in the country has been rising, but domestic production remains low.
Farmers are using shared nurseries to grow two popular varieties of onions: Nashik Red-53 and Red Creole. According to Officer Singh, Nawalpur’s favorable climate and soil conditions make it ideal for high onion yields.
The project has allocated NPR 1.7 million for the program and is offering subsidies ranging from 50% to 85%, depending on the farmers’ requirements. Free seeds are also being provided to support the initiative.
This program is expected to not only increase local onion production but also empower farmers to adopt modern agricultural practices for sustainable growth.
