Onion prices have shot up like a comet this week. "It's moved very quickly. For next week, they're already asking 34 cents for the medium size and 40 cents for the supers," says Jordi Calatayud y Monge of Mulder Onions in Kerkrade. "Now the question is whether this spike is due to Easter demand or if farmers and packers are being overly optimistic. So the big question is what prices will do after Easter. Will they continue to rise, or will the market collapse like it did last year?"
"For now, sales are holding up reasonably well. Eastern European countries and Italy continue to place orders. Austria has run out, and Germany is also running low, still opting for Dutch onions and not yet fully switching to New Zealand ones," Jordi continues. "But Egypt is also lurking in the background, even though it's still quite early in the season. From the port of Koper, they can reach destinations like Hungary and the Czech Republic in no time."
"At the same time, you see customers in other markets, such as Spain, stepping back due to the high prices. It's also somewhat typical Dutch to strike while the iron is hot and trade is available, but I think it's important not to price ourselves out of the market. On top of that, customers are seeing a wide range of prices. The prices issued last Friday are lower than today's. There are also sellers still working off older stock positions. All in all, this creates varying price levels."
"The price of red onions is also on the rise, with very few available at all—medium sizes are now selling for 65 cents. I find the quality of the onions very good so far. This time of year, sprouting is always a concern, but for now, we're seeing very few quality issues."
For more information:
Jordi Calatayud y Monge
Mulder Onions
Tel +31 45 5678711
[email protected]
www.mulder-onions.com