News
Farmers say local B-onions losing out to imported B-onions
View(s):A glut of imported Bombay onions in the market has resulted in the drastic fall in the price of local onions, farmers charge.
Some traders are quoting lower prices claiming that the onions are wet and have sprouted because of the rains Pix by Kanchana Kumara Ariyadsa
Traders at the Dambulla Economic Centre said that the importation of B-onions from neighbouring countries has resulted in reduced demand for the local variety.
Farmers said that a kilo of local B-onions that they usually sold for Rs. 35 to Rs. 50 is now going even lower and they are unable to fetch the monies that they had spent on cultivation.
They lamented that the middlemen ruling the trade are sub-standardizing the local onions and bringing the prices down.
Some traders are quoting lower prices claiming that the onions are wet and have sprouted because of the rains.
However, farmers claimed the products bought from them at lower prices are sold at the existing market prices.
A kilo of imported Bombay onions at the Pettah market is being sold at rates of Rs. 75 – Rs.85 while the local Bombay onion is sold between Rs.65 to Rs.80.
A disheartened farmer