Dutch onion exports slammed to a halt this week

"The onion season has been out of the ordinary so far, and this week is also special. Exports have been completely paralyzed this week, not only ours but also those of the competitors I have spoken with. We thought it had to do with the holidays, but the situation remains," says Jan Franje of the Dutch processing and export company Franje Onions.

"At the same time, the prices in the field are going up, although we are not marketing anything. Last week, sales were still quite large. We shipped the product to many destinations in Africa, but the volumes shipped were not very large. That's it." it makes it very difficult for rating companies at the moment," says Jan.

"The price per bullet for the medium calibers is about 18/19 cents, the thick onions are sold for 20 cents, and the different calibers – of which there are not many left – are sold for about 24/25 cents. I am very curious about how the end of the season will present itself. I think we will be able to continue for another six weeks. If the exports are stopping, we will have a problem."

Organic onions are not spared from bad times either. "There is hardly any demand for organic onions at the moment. Everyone thought that prices would skyrocket after the bad harvest, but organic onions are being offered to me from everywhere," says Jan.

"For the new season, drought is currently a big problem, especially on the heavier soils. Second-year onions also show a very variable picture. Where it is not possible to rinse, the problems are great, but even where it can be rinsed, the quality of the crop varies a lot depending on the area and the plot".

Dutch onion exports slammed to a halt this week PDF