(MENAFN- Live Mint) India aims to increase kharif onion acreage by 27% to 361,000 hectares this year, according to a government statement on Friday. This move comes as prices of vegetables, including those of onions, have surged due to adverse weather conditions. As per data from the consumer affairs department, the average retail onion price across India was at ₹43 per kg on Friday, a 68% increase year-on-year.

In Karnataka, the top kharif onion-producing state, 30% of the targeted 150,000 hectares has been sown, with good progress in other major states. Despite marginally lower rabi production in 2024-25, the domestic onion market remains stable due to higher releases from the rabi harvest.

All-India current sowing data was not available as the agriculture ministry did not release its usual Friday update on kharif crop sowing.

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Onions are harvested in three seasons: rabi (March-May), kharif (September-November), and late kharif (January-February). The rabi crop accounts for roughly 70% of total production, playing a crucial role in price stability during lean months. The estimated 2024-25 rabi onion production is 19.1 million tonnes, sufficient to meet domestic consumption of about 1.7 million tonnes per month, with controlled exports of up to 100,000 tonnes per month.

Dry weather during and after the rabi harvest this year helped lower storage losses, the statement noted adding that onion prices are stabilizing as more rabi onions are released into the market amid higher mandi prices and the onset of monsoon rains, which increase storage loss risks due to high moisture.

“Good and timely monsoon rains this year have provided big boost for kharif crops, including onion and other horticultural crops like tomato and potato," as per the statement.

An early onset over Kerala and the northeastern region on 30 May, two and six days ahead of their respective arrival dates, the southwest monsoon had advanced normally up to Maharashtra until 9 June. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) expects above-normal precipitation across most parts of the country in July.

The timely arrival of the monsoon is crucial for India's agricultural sector, as 56% of the net cultivated area and 44% of food production depend on monsoon rainfall. Normal precipitation is essential for robust crop production, stable food prices, especially for vegetables, and economic growth.

June and July are considered critical months for sowing kharif crops.

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The government is targeting a 12% increase in area under kharif potato this year. Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have nearly completed their targeted sowing areas, while Karnataka and other states are progressing well.

According to the agriculture ministry, 27.3 million tonnes of rabi potatoes are stored in cold storage, sufficient to meet demand. Though primarily a rabi crop, kharif potatoes from several states augment market availability from September to November.

For kharif tomatoes, the targeted area is 272,000 hectares, up from 267,000 hectares last year. Good crop conditions are reported in key areas like Chittoor and Kolar, with substantial improvements expected in major producing states including Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu.

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