Onions exports are currently running very smoothly. "Large volumes are going out," says Piet van Liere of Flevotrade in Dronten, the Netherlands. "Africa is leading the charge. There is, however, a high demand for Dutch onions from other places too. These include countries in the Far East, India and surrounds, and from within Europe."
"The good thing is buyers from Africa can meet the current prices well. It is going to become interesting to see how the local cultivation in Africa will develop in the coming weeks. It makes a considerable difference whether Senegal stops issuing quotas in December or whether we can keep exporting until 1 February. That is when it comes to volumes," says the exporter.
There is already a good demand for yellow onions. Red onions, however, are selling like hotcakes. "Sales are going extremely well. I felt like there was a considerable acreage of red onions. But, they are just streaming out. There is great demand from, in particular, India and its surrounding countries. This is as a result of the local shortages there. In short, full steam ahead."
According to the exporter, the onion season is going reasonably well, quality-wise. "There are problems with Fusarium here and there. Skin firmness also varies considerably. There is a vast difference in quality between the onions harvested before and after the rains too. The latter is of slightly poorer quality,"
"I hope we keep the prices under control. In this way, we can keep exporting nicely," adds Piet. His range has grown from more than just onions, potatoes, and full soil vegetables. It now includes products such as fruit, cheese, and frozen french fries. "We are delighted with this assortment expansion," he concludes.
For more information:
Piet van Liere
FlevoTrade Dronten
15-17 Staalwijk
8251 JP Dronten, NL
Tel: +31 (0) 321 387 170
info@flevotrade.nl
www.flevotrade.nl