"Netherlands: "More onions could have gone"

The Dutch onion season is coming to an end. "There are still single containers leaving, but no noteworthy amounts. A lot of packaging stations have already stopped. It's very hard to find good onions, you need a magnifying glass to find what's leaving in good trade," says exporter Jan van de Ben of the firm Sevenhuysen from Warmenhuizen.

Looking back at the season he says the disappointing export in the second half of the season is particularly striking. "More onions could have gone, but growers decided the season again. If you look at the downward price development with prices around 17 cents per bale the growers will be scratching their heads. There are still a lot of unsold parties and a lot of crops no longer suitable for overseas export going to Poland for 5 cents."

Their gaze is now focused on the next season. Jan has his hand on his heart. "Look outside and you see heat and water. Add that up to the area expansion and we'll have to sell a lot of onions. I think it will soon be close to 1.5 million tonnes. Which price level this will happen at, largely depends on whether the growers fancy it. There are enough sales destinations, although we could really use some countries. We missed Brazil this year, as it only bought a third of last year's volume."

For more information:
G. Sevenhuysen V.O.F.
Nijverheidsstraat 5
1749 DR Warmenhuizen
Tel.0226-320224
Fax.0226-316166
info@sevenhuysen.nl
www.sevenhuysen.nl