1 SHAH ABDUL LATIF UNIVERSITY KHAIRPUR

ONION

INTRODUCTION

Onion is most widely used vegetable in the world after

potato. It is used in almost every food. Especially the
onion is widely used in the foods of South Asia. It can
be said as cultural food item for the south Asians.
Due to this reason onion is being cultivated on the
vest area of country as compared to other vegetables.
Onion is cultivated on vast land in the Pakistan and
other favorable part of the world. The production of
the onion is between 15 to 20 lac ton every year in the
Pakistan. It is cultivated on 4 lac acres of land.
According to the statistics of the agriculture
department of Pakistan mostly the onion is cultivated
in sindh, 40% of the onion is cultivated in sindh, 35,
15, and 12 in Baluchistan, Punjab and NWFP
respectively. It is cultivated in different season in
the province; there is no any season, in which onion is
not being cultivated in the Pakistan, in Punjab its
harvest is in the end of January or in the end of
February or March. The onion is cultivated in kussar,
wiharry, khaniwl, multan and shekupura districts of
the Punjab, but the seed of onion, which is cultivated

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in the Punjab is taken from the crops of the sindh. In

sindh its harvest is in april, may, June and July. In
sindh onion is cultivated in Hyderabad, sanghar,
mirpurkhas, and nawabshah. These areas are very
famous for cultivation of onion in sindh. In NWFP
Swat, der, upper malakand, chersenda, and mahnda
agency are cultivable area for the onion. In
Baluchistan, chagi, kalot, faran, mutoongand and
kuzdar are cultivable areas for the onion. It is being
transported to the market throughout the four
provinces of Pakistan. Following is the list of the
prices of the onion year wise:

Year Average price

1999 5 Rupees
2000 9
2001 4
2002 8
2003 6
2004 10
2005 8
2006 30

In 2006, 30 rupees are average price, but the onion

has touched 60 rupees per kilo during the year 2006.

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Regarding this data the prices of the onion has

increased up to 300%.

INTRODUCTION (Scientific)

Onion, common name for any of a genus of biennial

herbs, of the lily family, native to Asia but cultivated
in temperate and subtropical regions for thousands of
years. The true onion is a bulb-bearing plant. Its long,
hollow leaves with thickened bases make up most of
the bulb. The white or pink flowers, which are borne
in umbels, have six sepals, six petals, six stamens, and
a solitary pistil. In the varieties known as top onions,
the flowers are supplanted by bulblets, which may be
grown to obtain new plants. The plant contains
sulfurous, volatile oils that give it a characteristic
pungent taste; one component readily dissolves in
water to produce sulfuric acid, which may be produced
in the eyes and induce tears.

Onions are one of the most versatile vegetables. They

are eaten raw in salads, are cooked or pickled in a
variety of ways, and are used as a flavoring or
seasoning. Dehydrated onion products provide popular
flavorings for soups and stews.

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Onions raised in warm areas are planted as winter

crops and are milder in taste and odor than onions
planted during the summer in cooler regions. Yellow
Bermuda and white Spanish onions are among the
mildest cultivated onions.

Onions are easily grown from seed that may be either

field-grown directly or planted in beds to produce
small bulbs, or sets. These are commonly dried and
shipped to gardeners and commercial growers. Onions
are adaptable to temperature and can be planted
year-round as long as the soil is rich and moist. They
are sown four to six weeks before the last frost in
the spring or are planted in late summer for a fall
crop.

The crop is allowed to ripen in the field until tops

begin to bend and break. The bulbs are then pulled up
and spread or hung in a dry area to cure. Once dry,
they are normally stored and shipped in slotted or
open-mesh bags to keep them dry enough to prevent
sprouting. United States commercial production of
onions at the beginning of the 21st century exceeded
3,000,000 metric tons.

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Other onions in the genus include the nodding wild

onion, the shallot, the chive, and the green onion, or
common leek. Both the shallot and the green onion,
which have small bulbs, are also known as scallions.

Scientific classification: Onions make up the genus

Allium, of the family Liliaceae. The true onion is
classified as Allium cepa; the nodding wild onion as
Allium cernuum; the shallot as Allium ascalonicum; the
chive as Allium schoenoprasum; and the green onion,
or common leek, as Allium ampeloprasum.

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OBJECTIVES

The main objective of this research assignment is just

to learn about the origin of the onion. Where the
onion is being cultivated in the Pakistan. What are the
favorable seasons for the cultivation of the onion?
Price changes of the onion in the market of Pakistan.

HYPOTHESIS

The facts used in this assignment are of Primary and

secondary nature. These facts are somehow proven to
be true.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

1. Primary
The Primary sort of data is mostly measured from the
local market of Sukkur city. The Onion in the market
of Sukkur arrives from the markets of internal sindh.
Current price of the onion in the local market of
Sukkur is 6 rupees per Kilo gram. A local vendor from
the market of the Sukkur told us that nearly 30 to 60
truks full of onion arrive here in the market of
Sukkur. You also can analyze this situation by traffics

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jam outside the market if pass through the road near

to the market.

2. Secondary
The most of the secondary data is taken from the
magazines and research articles from the internet.
Onion is cultivated on vast land in the Pakistan and
other favorable part of the world. The production of
the onion is between 15 to 20 lac ton every year in the
Pakistan. It is cultivated on 4 lac acres of land.
According to the statistics of the agriculture
department of Pakistan mostly the onion is cultivated
in sindh, 40% of the onion is cultivated in sindh, 35,
15, and 12 in Baluchistan, Punjab and NWFP
respectively. It is cultivated in different season in
the province; there is no any season, in which onion is
not being cultivated in the Pakistan, in Punjab its
harvest is in the end of January or in the end of
February or March. The onion is cultivated in kussar,
wiharry, khaniwl, multan and shekupura districts of
the Punjab, but the seed of onion, which is cultivated
in the Punjab is taken from the crops of the sindh. In
sindh its harvest is in april, may, June and July. In
sindh onion is cultivated in Hyderabad, sanghar,
mirpurkhas, and nawabshah. These areas are very
famous for cultivation of onion in sindh. In NWFP

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Swat, der, upper malakand, chersenda, and mahnda

agency are cultivable area for the onion. In
Baluchistan, chagi, kalot, faran, mutoongand and
kuzdar are cultivable areas for the onion. It is being
transported to the market throughout the four
provinces of Pakistan.
The total consumption of the onion in Pakistan is
nearly 20 lac tons. Nowadays prices are at normal but
in the last few months the price of the onion was very
high as compared to the last year’s prices.

RESULTS & DISCUSSION

In the results of the research concluded above are to

know about the marketing of the onion throughout the
country. What are the main areas of cultivation of the
onion in Pakistan?
In perspective of the onion market there were many
discussions around the country about the last year’s
price ceilings or price hike. Policy makers started
thinking about the shortage of the onion in the
market.

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CONCLUSION

The onion is one of the basic vegetables used in the

houses in the process of food. To study the market of
onion of Pakistan. Pakistani agriculture sector should
produce more and more of the onion to avoid price
hike.

REFERENCES:

• Encarta
• Sunday Magazine
• Self research
• WWW.GOOGLE.COM

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