The onion importing season has started again at Van der Lans International. Last week the first containers with onions from New Zealand arrived at onion sorting and packaging station Jonika in Oostdijk and a number of 40ft containers were unloaded again yesterday. "The demand is starting to get going, especially from the German retail and wholesale. Almost the entire supply has been divided up for the next three weeks," says Jan van der Lans.
Most of the New Zealand onions arrive at Jonika in bigbags. "This means we are flexible to put the onion in the desired packaging up until the last moment. This ranges from 25 kg bags to small packaging. We can supply in the original packaging from our supplier Balle Bros from Pukekohe," says Van der Lans. Buyers of the New Zealand onions are mainly retailers from the Benelux, France, Germany and Austria. The United Kingdom is traditionally supplied directly by New Zealand.
Jaap Nieuwenhuijse of Jonika and Jan van der Lans
The importer says that the area in New Zealand is 5% lower and there the harvest yield is estimated to be 8% lower. "But there won't immediately be a shortage, due to the large European harvest. The prospects are good. The programmes will get going around mid April. The quality is excellent, as we are used to, and we look towards the next few weeks positively. Of course we also have to see how the market for Dutch onions develops, but the overseas onions aren't sold for the price. A lot of retailers want to have new harvest on their shelves at the end of the European season to be able to offer the consumer continual good quality."
Besides the supply from New Zealand, Van der Lans also importers of onions from the Australian mainland, Tasmania, Chile and Egypt. "A complete assortment of red, yellow and white onions in various calibres for every market segment," concludes the importer. The season of New Zealand onions traditionally lasts until mid/late July. "The tendency is that the season starts later - we are a week later this time - and that we continue for a bit longer," concludes Jan. The importer has been working with Jonika for years for the storage and overhaul of imported onions, but can also offer every form of small packaged onion according to the wishes of buyers due to the good facilities at Jonika.
For more information:
Van der Lans International B.V.
Gerrit van der Veenlaan 18
3743 DN Baarn
Tel: 035 6422622
Fax: 035 6422644