From 1 January, Emiel Kamminga started Vika-Onions, focusing on the commission trade of onions. VIKA stands for Sales, Procurement, Kamminga (Verkoop, Inkoop, Kamminga). "The aim is to connect onion growers with grading and peeling companies in the Netherlands, Germany, and Poland, and the name is also easy to pronounce internationally."
Although it had always been his wish to start on his own, his parents, who ran a chicory farm, advised him to first gain experience in salaried employment. Over the past 25 years, Emiel worked at PPA for 15 years, then spent five years as a cultivation consultant at Delphy, followed by the past five years at FlevoTrade.
© Vika-Onions
"I am convinced that this experience in cultivation and marketing will certainly help me. I know what is happening both in the field and in the market, and I expect that this will definitely help me link growers to buyers. I speak both the grower's and the grader's language, which allows me to think along from a cultivation and marketing perspective, whether it concerns mediation, advice, or logistics."
"I expect to distinguish myself in that way. There are many buyers who drop out when it comes to cultivation, and I notice that they appreciate speaking with someone who has in-depth knowledge of onions. Based on my experience, I can focus on practical advice that aligns with the daily practice of both grower and grader. A few words from a grader are often enough for me, and I can also assess the marketing consequences of the quality of a specific lot."
Contact with German growers
"My goal is to operate as a 100% commission agent for seed onions, onion sets, and industrial onions," says the commission agent. "My network is mainly in Flevoland, the northern Netherlands, and Germany. More and more onions are being grown by our eastern neighbours, and I look forward to maintaining and further expanding contacts with German growers. Thanks to my broad network, I can act quickly and bring parties together in a reliable way," Emiel says.
He is enthusiastic about the start of Vika-Onions. "The start-up has really exceeded expectations. I notice that growers like speaking to someone with knowledge of onions, and sorting companies have also responded very positively." Are farmers willing to sell? "Every grower has their own moment to sell. Some are keen to sell, while others still have onions in good condition in storage. Everyone would like to receive 20 cents for their onions, but that is not realistic at the moment. However, there is definitely demand for coarse, attractive onions," Emiel says.
"From a quality perspective, it is not the best season. That surprised me personally, because we did not experience extreme drought or excessive rainfall, which is also reflected in the yields. However, we are dealing with severe disease pressure. Every onion season really stands on its own."
© Vika-OnionsFor more information:
Emiel Kamminga
Vika-Onions
Mob: +31 6 13 568 559
[email protected]
www.vika-onions.nl
