Trade in the Dutch onion market has currently slowed considerably. "Long-distance export destinations are taking far fewer onions, and within Europe, we are no longer the cheapest. Competing on price is difficult. We therefore have to differentiate ourselves on quality, and that is quite a challenge," says Wim Waterman of Waterman Onions in Emmeloord.
"Fortunately, here in the Noordoostpolder, we are located in the heart of the growing region and have access to a range of quality. That gives us an advantage over processors in the south, as we can easily take samples or have trial loads delivered," Wim continues. "The quality challenges are significant. Fusarium problems are well known, but skinless onions are also a major issue this season."
© Waterman Onions
Wim and Erik Waterman
"Storage is a craft, and it appears that some good onions may have been dried too much because the drying process was largely left on automatic settings," Waterman continues. "At the same time, we faced quite extreme growing conditions, with onions entering storage while still warm. At the time, the onions looked nicely golden in the bins, but the problems are now becoming apparent. You can clearly see that onions with good skin firmness achieve higher prices."
Weather issues in southern Europe and frost in Poland may be creating some optimism in the market, but Wim calls that misleading. "It may well have some impact towards the end of the season, but it does not help us in the short term. The question will be which onions will still be suitable by then."
He also expects limited influence from imported onions on the market in the coming weeks. "By that time, pricing will again be decisive, and imported onions are much more expensive, which is why few programs are currently being arranged. Import onions are not purchased lightly, and customers prefer to opt for good Dutch onions."
For more information:
Wim Waterman
Waterman Onions
Hannie Schaftweg 12
8304 AR Emmeloord
+31 (0) 527 617 496
[email protected]
www.waterman-onions.nl
