The Hindu Business Line : New-design godowns for storing onion

THE National Horticultural Research Foundation (NHRF) has come up with new ventilated godowns for storing onions that will be helpful in minimising post-harvest losses, for the benefit of onion growers in Dindigul district.

The onion, especially the `podish' (small) variety is cultivated in more than 1,000 hectares in Oddanchatram, Chatrapatti, Vedasandur, Batlagundu and Nilakottai.

Farmers have been incurring huge losses to the extent of 40 per cent of total production due to lack of proper storage facilities. The conventional method of using palm leaves and casuarina poles did not help to reduce losses due to variation in temperature and absence of proper aeration. The expenditure for the purpose has also been recurring.

The new design using wood developed by NHRF provides aeration on all sides and helps minimise the loss.

According to the NHRF Senior Technical Officer, Mr K. Parameswaran, the cost of each shed under the new design is about Rs 80,000 with a 25-per cent subsidy.

More than 30 godowns with 20 tonne capacity have been set up and the department has received around 60 applications.

The new tiled structure will last long, can be dismantled and kept in the open space and used for grading and packing during off seasons, sources said.

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