Ministers hold discussion to address issues faced by big onion farmers

A meeting was held today (17) at the Presidential Secretariat with local big onion farmers to develop a structured plan to address the challenges they face.

The discussion was led by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation K.D. Lal Kantha and Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe, according to the President’s Media Division.

While paddy farmers have long had structured support, Minister Lal Kantha noted that this is the first time a concrete plan has been developed specifically for big onion farmers.

He stated the government aims to protect all farmers and improve their living standards.

Attendees emphasized the need to prioritize solutions for farmers’ issues while ensuring affordable onion prices for consumers, with all decisions based on accurate data, the PMD noted. Discussions also focused on increasing onion production, price regulation and strategies for sustainable production and marketing, with a report from the Department of Agriculture presented.

A plan has been set to raise onion production from 17% in 2025 to 22% in 2026 and 27% in 2027. The government also announced measures to set a fair fixed price for onions and improve storage and other facilities for farmers.

Farmers highlighted that large price fluctuations are a major challenge and requested government support to ensure continuous cultivation, noting that onion farming is a sector with significant income potential, the PMD added further.