The fact that only a small number of onions were sown in autumn means that they are fetching excellent prices. This was confirmed by Michael Valmori, a grower from Emilia Romagna (Imola area) who planted 16 hectares.
"We have just completed the harvest, and after some time in the field to decrease humidity, we will proceed with the calibration. The prices we are bargaining for exports are very interesting and never lower than 30 cents, and we are finally receiving the right remuneration."
Despite being only 24 years old, Valmori knows his worth and doesn’t stand idly by if he witnesses injustice in the production field (see FreshPlaza, 19/02/2021). "We're almost a month behind schedule for a standard crop year, but the cold spring weather has hampered growth and yields are also low."
Valmori exports almost all of its autumn-seeded onions to Germany. "This is the main market because Germany lacks product at this time of year. They have completed their stocks and their early onions will be ready in a month. During this time, they prefer Italian products and pay for them quickly, which is not always the case in Italy".
Valmori ships gauged onions in 1.2 tons Jumbo bags to Germany. Another destination is France, which instead prefers onions packaged in 10-kg crates.