Fred Amsing, owner of the Meerpak onion packing station from Middenmeer, is positive about the onion season. "I see it particularly positively for the yellow onions. The red onions nevertheless have an important sales volume towards the catering industry and we also saw that this almost came to a standstill in March. Nine out of ten bags sold in the supermarkets are still yellow onions and we see that it is precisely this small package that is becoming an increasingly larger market. More and more kilo packages are being sold. Corona has accelerated that trend again. While wholesale markets closed, supermarkets only sold more onions. "
For Amsing it is now traditionally a somewhat quieter period. "There is currently a lot of demand from overseas, but in Europe - where our onions are sold - it is now a bit quieter. Many countries are currently self-sufficient, but that is nothing new. We now see that countries are already cautiously inquiring about yellow onions. The market conditions are positive, many onions have been exported in recent weeks and fewer onions can be processed more than the long-term average. The price can't rise too fast, otherwise sales areas will drop out again. "
From the start, Meerpak has been fully equipped for the cultivation, trade and packaging of red and yellow onions. "We do that all year round. We get the first onion sets from Zeeland, but otherwise we prefer to buy them from the neighbour. We have a number of long-term custodians in the area. But there are times, especially with the red onions, that you have to look further afield and then you sometimes have to drive to Limburg, but most onions I get from the Northern Netherlands," says Fred.
He never ventured into his own exports. "Sometimes that may seem tempting, but I am glad I never did. I have a small company and would like to keep it that way. Much of our sales of onions goes through AN Boekel from Oudkarspel, among others. I am very satisfied with it. Each to their own. We are strong in packaging, they are in sales and logistics. "
For more information:
Fred Amsing
Meerpak bv
Westermiddenmeerweg 7
1775 RL Middenmeer
Tel: 0031 (0) 6-51267082
info@meerpakbv.nl