Nashik’s kharif onion cultivation has fallen by about 34% this season after a delayed and uneven monsoon disrupted planting, raising the possibility of lower output, delayed market arrivals and higher wholesale prices in the coming weeks.
Data from the state agriculture department shows that the area under kharif onion in the district is now 21,243 hectares, compared with the average of 32,491 hectares. Agriculture officials attributed the decline to the late arrival of rainfall and prolonged dry spells during the critical planting period.
Kharif onion sowing generally takes place from early July to mid-September. This year, rainfall arrived nearly a month late, while uneven precipitation in August and September affected planting across Nashik’s major onion-growing belts. An agriculture department official said rainfall in July had been adequate, but dry spells and insufficient rain in the following two months disrupted plantation activities.
The reduction in planted area is being compounded by lower expected productivity. Officials estimate that yields could decline by around 30% because of moisture stress and adverse weather conditions. Average kharif onion productivity is usually about 15 tonnes per hectare, but this season’s output is expected to be between 10 and 11 tonnes per hectare.
The delayed planting has also pushed back harvesting and wholesale arrivals. Fresh kharif onions normally begin reaching wholesale markets by the middle of October. This year, harvesting is expected to start only in the last week of November, with regular arrivals likely from the middle of December.
The timing is significant because kharif onions have a shelf life of less than a month, requiring farmers to sell soon after harvest at prevailing market rates. Summer onions harvested in March and April can be stored for six to seven months, allowing farmers to stagger sales in response to market conditions.
Between May and the middle of October, market demand is largely met through stored summer onion stocks. Agriculture officials said these stocks are now nearing exhaustion, while the arrival of fresh kharif onions has been delayed by almost a month.
The supply gap could affect wholesale markets between the middle of October and the middle of November. An agriculture department official said there was a possibility of an onion shortage during this period and that wholesale prices could rise further if supplies did not improve.
The expected harvest and arrival schedule will now determine whether the district can replenish markets before stored summer stocks run out. Regular kharif onion arrivals are expected to begin by the middle of December.