BARC has developed an innovative storage technology to increase the shelf-life of onions and control onion prices.

New Delhi: The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has developed a ground-breaking storage technology to help enhance the shelf-life of onions and other vegetables thus helping in control the surge in prices during a supply as was witnessed earlier this when the government had to distribute tomatoes at subsidized rates to counter the price rise.

According to an official release from BARC, the innovative storage technology stores onions by processing them with radiation which helps store the staple for as long as seven-and-half months in special cold storage.

“BARC has has developed integrated operating procedures for this process through its research and development and commercial trials,” the release said.

The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), a unit of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), has already achieved great success in maintaining adequate availability of onions throughout the year and reducing storage losses due to short shelf life, it said.

The integrated operating procedures using radiation technology developed by BARC helps store onions for nearly eight months in cold storage, thereby ensuring that the staple is available throughout the year and prices of onions as well as other vegetables can be kept in check by ensuring adequate availability.

Onions are cultivated only at a specific time of the year due to which onion farmers and resellers face challenges like reduced crop, rotting due  to infestation by microorganisms, and germination. These factors lead to fluctuating prices of onions while farmers and traders are always at the risk of facing losses due to the crop going bad in storage.

However, BARC’s path-breaking technology prevents onions from sprouting and thus extends the shelf life by reducing spoilage.

“The innovative irradiation technology of BARC can help to minimise post-harvest losses and ensure availability of good quality onions throughout the year. Also, with this, onion prices can be kept under control. Farmers, farmer organisations and consumers can benefit from this on a large scale,” BARC said.

BARC has signed an MoU with the Department of Consumer Affairs, National Consumer Cooperative Federation of India and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs which involves large scale trials on preservation of onions using irradiation technology with integrated cold storage.

Recently, in Lasalgaon, Nashik, 1,000 tonnes of onion was processed using this technology, which was completely successful on every parameter, the BARC said, adding that the method proven to be an effective way to preserve the quality and freshness of onions on a large scale.

It said the Agricultural Produce Conservation Center (KRISHAK) at Lasalgaon has been specially upgraded for the use of this technology.

“It has a first of its kind integrated onion specific cold storage of 250 tonne capacity, with a controlled humidity of 65%, which is capable of maintaining good quality of radiation processed onions for a longer period. Recently, a Kisan Mela was organised here, so that the farmers could be told about the benefits of radiation technology.”