Training and Onion Research Leads to Projected Sales of $1.6 Million

Up until 2003, Honduran onion production was limited to the period between December and June. Perceived problems with varieties and inefficient production and curing systems led to a gap in production from July to November, which was filled entirely with imports. In order to address this problem, the Fintrac CDA project began field trials with several different onion varieties that would allow year-round production. By partnering with FHIA (Honduran Foundation for Agricultural Research), seed and other input suppliers, CDA agronomists tested a wide range of onion varieties. The results showed Honduran producers that by calendarizing their production, choosing the right variety and implementing IPM and ICM procedures they can produce and harvest onions at any time of the year and compete successfully with imported product.

Onion production depends largely on the amount of sunlight available throughout the day. Honduran producers traditionally have used short day length onions that can only be harvested between December and June. The focus of CDA’s effort was to determine the varieties that could grow successfully under the longer day length conditions for harvesting from July through to December. By working with FHIA and seed suppliers in Honduras, the CDA project tested more than 20 varieties with monthly plantings over the year. This enabled the identification of the best varieties for transplanting in each month. Examples include Granex 429, from October through February; Texas Grano 438, with a wide range of planting dates; and the Caballero and Candy varieties, which proved best when planted from the end of March through the beginning of June.

The trial results were passed to growers and implemented in fully commercial operations throughout 2004, further demonstrating that onions can be grown successfully during the traditional offseason. This is part of Fintrac’s approach to encourage farmers to diversify and plan their production in response to market needs and opportunities. For growers willing to work offseason with different varieties, onions have proven to be yet another option for calendarizing production and supplying local and export markets with previously unavailable produce. Higher production volumes and good quality have attracted regional buyers to source yellow, white and red onions from Honduras. To accommodate the increased planting areas for the 2005 offseason and an increasing number of interested growers, CDA has developed and carried out onion field day programs for training in technology and production systems, pest control, water and fertilizer management and harvest and postharvest handling. Additionally, improved technologies have been developed in nursery management, seedling production, planting densities and biological controls.

Fintrac CDA began its onion production program in July 2003 with an initial 40 growers, 18 hectares, 1 million pounds of onion production and $150,000 in farm gate sales. In 2004, the total area planted increased to 75 hectares with a production of 5.4 million pounds and $805,000 in farm gate sales, which is equivalent to 128 containers of onion imports. Additionally, 18 containers were exported to Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Currently there are 60 lead producers in the program, who along with their beneficiaries in nine departments, grow onions as a rotation crop with peppers, tomatoes and sweet potatoes. Total grower sales of onions for 2005 are projected at $1.6 million and the program aims to expand production areas and markets to develop processed or semi-processed product outlets.