New season Queensland onions on shelves by October

Onions Australia is counting down the days to the opening of the Queensland fresh onion season.

Onions Australia Chairperson Kees Versteeg, himself a Queenslander, said the new season would come online within weeks, with fresh new season Queensland onions available on the shelves of supermarkets and greengrocers by the end of October.

Mr Versteeg said the industry was expecting a high quality yield this season, with Australian consumers sure to have premium produce available. He said that consumers should ensure they were buying Australian grown onions, and shun any US imports.

“Onions Australia has been campaigning for some time to have the imports stopped,” he said. “We have undertaken a national education campaign to alert both retailers and consumers that Australia has a plentiful supply of our own locally grown onions.

“Australian onions are available year round because our growers have worked hard to ensure supply, with Queensland kicking off the season, followed within weeks by the other growing states of Australia.”

Mr Versteeg said both Coles and Woolworths had given an undertaking that they would not import US onions.

“It has come to our attention that the independent retailers do not adhere to that same agreement and regretfully imported red and white onions have already been detected in the domestic wholesale markets,” he said.

“Onions Australia urges all consumers to ask their retailer exactly where their onions have been sourced from, and to ensure that they are Australian grown. If in doubt, ask your retailer to see the outer packaging these onions arrived in.

“Buying Australian grown onions brings piece of mind and knowledge that the product is clean and green, posing no risk to consumers. There is no need for US onions to enter Australia, and no need for consumers to purchase them. Supporting your Australian onion growers is all we ask from you.”

For more information:
Lechelle Earl
Onions Australia
Tel: +61 0458 11 11 26

Publication date: Thu 17 Sep 2015