"Netherlands: "Wide demand for onions; last supplies for Tabaski party"

There is a wide demand for onions are the moment. "I'm not complaining," says Piet van Liere of sorting and packaging station Gebr. van Liere and export company FlevoTrade Dronten. "The onions are going in all directions. At the moment we're loading the last supplies for the Tabaski party, so it should be busy right now, but the market is trundling along just fine."

The price level is at 15/16 Euro at the moment and is fairly stable according to Piet. "The volumes that are leaving create a good mood. How the market will develop is very dependent on the orders for the coming two weeks. I think that these prices will remain stable. The mood among the farmers is reasonably stable and onions can't be bought cheaper."

Pietvan Liere (right) and colleague Ronald Velthuis talking to Chinese importers

Whereas the rain fall was limited in Zeeland this week, they have not been able to harvest any onions in the polders since Monday. On Tuesday Piet left Dronten for Colijnsplaat for a meet & greet with an incoming trade mission from China. "Maybe export is a long way off, but the sales area is too big not to immerse yourself in it."