Red Onion Farming in Indonesia Shows Success in Kebumen and Failure in Nganjuk

Farmers in Desa Tlogowulung, Kebumen regency celebrated a large red‑onion harvest attended by Bupati Lilis Nuryani. The event highlighted a shift from rice to onion on 3 hectares of mountain land, increased income for villagers, and pledges for irrigation, infrastructure, seed supply and credit support.

In contrast, red‑onion growers in the Gondang sub‑district of Nganjuk regency reported a failed harvest after black‑caterpillar (ulat hitam) infestations wilted crops. Farmers, including Siswanto, struggled with costly pesticide purchases of up to Rp 360,000 per bottle, leading to a loss of yield, price drops to around Rp 12‑13 thousand per kilogram, and calls for assistance from the local agriculture department.