"It has two definite sides. We'll eventually know if things went well. Still, there's currently so much money being thrown around, it's perilous," was the Dutch company Franje Onions Jan Franje's view of the onion market earlier this year.
Three months on, and nothing has changed, according to the onion packer. "Onions are still expensive. We're still going, but I don't know if we'll make it through June. Every little fault is immediately penalized, so you quickly lose plenty of money. You have to pay close attention anyway to ensure everything's paid," says Franje.
"We're running out of onions. It's tough to buy extra; they're in the hands of speculators, the toughest farmers, or those who forgot to sell. Prices are fairly stable. Last week, those rose slightly, though that could be speculation driven."
"Sales-wise, things are hard at present. Plus, the quality is plummeting. Until two weeks ago, it went well," Franje explains. "But the damp weather means the quality is now falling rapidly, all at once. It was an unusual growing season, after all."
"We'll have to wait and see how it will go with the new onions. Some plots were overseeded because of water problems; situations, however, vary significantly locally. It's wet and late everywhere, but what I see growing looks beautiful. Now, above all else, we need higher temperatures," Franje concludes.
For more information:
Jan Franje
Franje Onions
10 Gawege
4414 NB, Waarde, NL
Tel: +31 (0) 113 501 658
EMail: info@franjeonions.nl
Website: www.franjeonions.nl