Onion trader Van Meir Onions & Potatoes has closed their onion pool B. It runs from January 1 to mid-March. Van Meir again pays 2 different prices for the coarse and fine sizes. The difference between the 2 has increased further.
For size grading below 60 millimeters, the result in pool B is €5,32 per 100 kilos. The coarser 60 millimeter upwards perform better at €8,60 per 100 kilos. In both cases the result is slightly lower than Pool A was the case, although the difference is small. The company's rule is that: when the price difference between coarse and fine is more than €1, the amounts are split.
Stock exchange listing
The prices quoted are net and exclude compensation for Global Gap. This amounts to €50 per hectare, with a maximum of €300 per lot. During the term of pool B (1-1 to 18-3), the average stock exchange quotation was €7,75 per 100 kilos for large onions. The pool therefore scores better in terms of price for the coarse grades. Last year the result of pool B was €5,54 per 100 kilos.
Coarse onions
Director Leon van Meir clearly sees a trend towards larger sizes. “Especially after January 1, it is important to have rough measurements. In the past, customers in certain countries requested the 40-60 millimeter size. Now the 50-70 millimeter grading is more popular. Because Southern Europe had a smaller harvest, more large onions went there, but Africa and Brazil were also buyers of more large onions.”
Almost all pool participants at Van Meir are located in the southwest. That region in particular had mostly fine onions due to prolonged drought. An additional handicap for the company. “Customers often take the medium sorting for granted, as long as they can load enough coarse ones,” Van Meir explains. “So it was quite a process to sell the fine onions.”
“Anyone who wants to sell onions after January 1 should focus on coarse product,” says the onion man. “We try to make our pool participants aware of this and also make this clear to the seed companies. It is often the same onion growers who have fine onions. Precisely because they have such a good handle on cultivation. The sowing and spraying techniques have been improved, which minimizes plant losses. The only thing you can do is sow fewer units. The price difference this season makes arable farmers aware of this.”
Organic onion pool
Van Meir has also completed its pool for organically grown onions. It was organized for the first time this season. There was more supply than demand in the market, but this was not noticeable in the result. €21,56 is paid for yellow onions and €46,44 for red onions. “We owe the high payment prices to agreements for sales that were made in advance,” Van Meir explains. “Due to the high yields, there were many organic onions.” In the coming season, the company would like to expand the organic onion pool in terms of growers and volume.