Good onion season for prices, but sales an issue from February 1

It is very calm on the onion market at the moment. "There is some going towards the Caribbean area, a load or two to Africa and some trade within Europe, but otherwise it is dribs and drabs," says a spokesperson from an onion sorting and packaging station from Kruiningen, The Netherlands. "All in all it has been a very good season in prices, but it is important for us that there are enough sales and this has been a problem since February 1. Last year we also didn't have sales to Russia, but Brazil entered the market. There are hardly any onions going there now. But you never known, opportunities come when you least expect them.

The price per bale, depending on the quality, is at a level between 18 and 23 cents. "We sold some threes for 24 cents, but there are few of them. At the moment there is little development in the price." He doesn't expect the stocks to be large. "It's too early to close the season completely but it is mostly over. The good onions are becoming very rare. Int he trade people are looking ahead towards the new season, as I hear that planting onions are already being sold - harvest date July 1 - for prices of 19/20 cents.