Jaffna onion cultivators are unable to market their produce, but it is sad that Sri Lanka imports onions from India and China.
In Colombo onions are selling for Rs110 per kg. But in Jaffna onions sell at Rs30.00 per kg. One month ago Jaffna onion cultivators sold their produce at Rs7.00 per kg by going house to house on bicycles and land master small tractors.
A news item in the Daily Mirror 17th November said Sri Lanka importers will buy 30,000 tons of onions from India to augment supplies in the domestic market.
Agents are waiting at Tutricon and Chennai ports in India to buy the bulbs on the hope of a lifting of restrictions and will import 30,000 tons of onion by Decmber, the Essential Service Commodities Importers Association Spokesman said. Sri Lanka had recently imported 20,000 tons of onion from China.
If Colombo traders could purchase onions from Jaffna, Jaffna onion cultivators could earn their investment and be content. Transport and waiting other wages also lower than from India or China compared with Jaffna.
Sri Lanka imports onion from China and India, but Jaffna onion cultivators are unable to market their product.