TNAU Predicts ₹30-35/kg for Small Onions

The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University's (TNAU) DEMIC has forecasted farm-gate prices of ₹30-35 a kg for good-quality small onions for the upcoming harvest season. This projection is based on 15 years of price data from the Dindigul market. India is the world's foremost producer of small onions, with cultivation primarily in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. In Tamil Nadu, small onions constitute nearly 80 percent of the state's total onion output.

This past season, 0.44 lakh hectares were dedicated to small onion cultivation, yielding 5.28 lakh tonnes. Major production districts include Dindigul, Tiruppur, and Madurai. While domestic needs are met by local production and supplies from neighboring states, Tamil Nadu also serves as a crucial export hub for small onions, with shipments destined for countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Nepal. Trade sources indicate robust export demand, representing an estimated 5-10% of total production. TNAU advises farmers to integrate these price projections into their sowing strategies for the forthcoming season.