The Price Forecasting Scheme of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has advised farmers to take appropriate decision on sowing shallot (small onions) as the farm gate price for the good quality shallot would prevail around Rs. 32 to 35 per kilo during July-August and may even touch Rs. 50 with the onset of monsoon.

The scheme has analysed the farm gate price of shallot that prevailed during the last 13 years in Dindigul market and arrived at the current price pattern.

The major growing season are May-June and October-November and the varieties under cultivation are CO1, CO2 and CO(On)5. The last variety being the most preferred one for export.

The vegetable has started arriving at the Dindigul markets from Mysore and would continue till July.

The demand for small onions grown in nurseries is more in the Dindigul market due to its size. It is bigger than other varieties and mainly used as seed material for the next season.

Shallot is one of the major commercial vegetable crop grown in south India and Tamil Nadu Dindigul, Tirupur, Perambalur, Tiruchi and Namakkal are the major areas that produce the vegetable. Nearly 75 per cent of small onions that arrive at the state markets are from these areas.

With the onset of southwest monsoon and chances of outbreak of diseases, the price of good quality of onion is likely to be higher, the analysis said.