Bejo Sheetal sets up cold storage for boosting hybrid onion seed production

PUNE: Jalna-based Bejo Sheetal, the market leader for hybrid onion seeds has recently invested in setting up an unique cold storage to boost the production of hybrid onion seeds.

The adoption of hybrid onion seeds is one of the least among all the vegetable crops in the country. Not many private seed companies have invested in developing onion hybrids while the public sector also has not achieved much success.

The price of hybrid onion seeds is much higher as compared to the seeds produced by farmers themselves. Yet, as more farmers are shifting to onion cultivation, the use of hybrid onion seeds is growing slowly and steadily.

""In this cold store, we will maintain 0oC temperature RH (Relative Humidity) below 60% and most important is good ventilation. The technology is being provided by Tolsma from Holland,"" said Sameer Agarwal, managing director, Bejo Sheetal.

Presently, Bejo Sheetal is growing onion bulbs in Kharif and immediately using it for planting for seed purpose in rabi.

""Now, we will produce bulbs in rabi, which is a more stable season for onion bulb production and store it for entire kharif in cold store and use the bulbs for seed production in next rabi,"" said Agarwal.

""With this new technology, we will be able to produce sufficient quantity of F1 onion seeds and thus fulfil the farmers' demand for our hybrid seeds,"" said Agarwal.