The season has been good up to now, with moderate temperatures and dry weather. The dry weather is not critical at this point and has not affected the crops, but Brian Knudsen from Frigaard in Denmark, said they would benefit from a bit of rain. Temperatures reached as high as 30 degrees a couple of weeks ago and have now dropped down to around 18 degrees, but luckily this has not caused any problems with the onions so far.
There was late seeding this year to fill the seasonal gap from January to June. Their crop had been harvested the year before in October.
"We are quite strong in growing shallots, and the growing season runs from April to the middle of August. We are the largest producer of Danish shallots with 20 years of experience with the Danish climate. Although the shallots are not technically organic, they are as close as you can come due to the strict rules in chemical use in Denmark." said Brian.
The company also has rented production area in Portugal which gives the company the opportunity to extend production of whatever they want, when they want. Brian shared that there are completely different rules and opportunities in Portugal than in Denmark.
Although it is initially more expensive, the shallotsand onions from Frigaard are all grown from seed which produces a hardier onion which is able to be stored for 12 months which makes it possible to have supply all year round. Onions grown from the bulb in other countries may be exactly the same quality at the time of harvest, but after 8 to 10 months they can become soft, depending on conditions when harvested.
Rhubarb
Along with the onions and shallots, Danish rhubarb is also in season. Demand has been good this season and the company has found markets for all of their production. In seasons where there is more production than demand, they have developed cold pressed rhubarb juice as a way to sell their leftover stock. The stalks are pressed using high pressure only and no heat, which means that no vitamins are lost in the process.
For more information:
Brian Knudsen
Frigaard
Tel: +45 65 37 27 57
Email: brian@frigaardgroent.dk
frigaardgroent.dk
www.facebook.com/Frigaard