Onion farmers lets not get carried away and think onion drying is get rich quick scheme. The price we see for onions in Jan-July is due to the value addition associated with the drying process. I will try and outline the key steps and cost drivers associated with drying onions.

1. Variety selection. You need to select the right varieties for drying. Some varieties will dry quicker and will store better than others. Consult your agronomist before you start planting. Personally I have experience with k2 Capricio and 1402.

2. Another key factor that really affects the onion drying process is when to harvest. The best time to harvest your onions is when yo experience 60% leaf falling. This is recommended because it allows for considerable neck closure whilst the crop is still in field.

3. Drying method is a very important step. It will depend on the farmer's location, time of harvesting, capacity to invest in infrastructure, and availability of energy sources. In areas that experience early rains its not advisable to do in field drying, if you harvest late,

Consider drying in sheds or in specialised driers. If you can afford it I would strongly advise investing in specialised driers that work with your available energy sources.

4. Before you begin drying there are procedures that you should know that relate to your method. If you are doing in field or hanging in shed drying then you do not remove your onion leaves. For in field the leaves cover the bulbs of the onions in the row in front of them.

With shed drying the tops are used to tie your onions onto the hanging wires. If you are drying in sheds that have shelves or in specialised driers you will need to cut your onion leaves after harvesting. This reduces drying time. Dont cut the entire neck. We want neck closure

5. When you are drying your onions the key thing you want to look at that shows that your onions are adequately dried for storage is the neck. The neck reduces to a diameter of 10mm in field/shed drying and 4mm in specialised dries. The neck should also become bone dry.

6. Storage is very important because we want to ensure that our onions do not rot or sprout whilst in storage. Best storage conditions are 2-6 deg at a relative humidity of 60-70%. If such storage conditions are not attainable you can opt for cool dry places with good air flow.

It should be noted that without climate controlled storage storability is lower but still its reasonable. Another storage input used by other players is to spray your onions with anti sprout to ensure that they dont sprout in storage.

7. During drying and storage there is the need to be constantly checking your bulbs for any signs of rotting or sprouting and make sure to remove them.
They are costs involved in the proper postharvest handling of dried onions its not a get rich quick scheme.

@yoAgronomist @corporatefarmg1 @MukuvariKaroi @mrLethario