Top customer Senegal has adjusted the import quota for onions. What does that mean for the onion market?
At the end of September it was announced that Senegal would, retroactively, have a quota established for the import of onions. This measure stipulated that approximately 1 tons of onions may enter the country from September 2017, 1 to December 2017, 65.000. Less than last year and that is not conducive to the somewhat lackluster to calm trade.
More kilos gone
However, Senegal has now made an adjustment to the quota. "The time period has been moved to October 1 to December, while the volume remains at around 64.000 tons. This means that everything delivered in September does not count towards the quota. This is beneficial for the total export volume, because more kilos can go," says buyer William Nannes of Beemsterboer.
Nannes suspects that Senegal made the decision based on what the country needs. "The oversupply of the country last year disrupted the local market. Now the Senegalese are looking for a balance through quotas. Hopefully the importers will make some money through better prices."
The adjustment of the time period also applies to potatoes.