Export area explained
Eastern Europe: will demand still erupt?
Every week we look at an important country in the onion sector. This week we do not focus on 1 country, but we look at the current situation in Eastern Europe. The countries in Eastern Europe demand more onions than last year, but the demand for serious volumes has yet to explode.
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Choose the subscription that suits youIt has been known for some time that there have been problems with harvesting onions in Eastern Europe. This is due to the heavy rain that has fallen. Lots of onions out Poland en Czech Republic could therefore not be entered. The quality of the onions that have arrived is very poor. All in all, this could indicate that less of our own harvest is available in Eastern Europe.
More exports
The export figures to Eastern European countries show a positive difference compared to last year. However, in most countries they are behind the 2015 season. The table below provides an overview of the export figures to a number of countries in Eastern Europe (up to and including week 13).
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| Nations | 2017 (in tons) | 2016 (in tons) | 2015 (in tons) |
| Poland | 2.838 | 644 | 5.270 |
| Hungary | 1.527 | 369 | 1.003 |
| Czech Republic | 1.466 | 406 | 2.854 |
| Romania | 1.335 | 955 | 2.162 |
| Bulgaria | 808 | 7 | 1.039 |
| Serbia | 708 | 229 | 1.435 |
| Slovakia | 131 | - | 82 |
| Slovenia | 64 | 50 | 158 |
Own product
Despite the positive export figures, demand has not yet taken off. There is demand from Eastern Europe, but mainly for lower prices. At the moment there is still sufficient domestic product available, but in the short term it is expected that countries from Eastern Europe (with Poland as flag bearer) will enter the market more strongly.
The problems with their own harvest will eventually ensure that the local onion supply will become empty. This should increase the demand for Dutch onions. However, a number of onion exporters had expected that there would already be more demand from Eastern Europe at this time.
Better balance in the onion market
When Eastern Europe enters the market, this can ensure a better balance in the market. At the moment, medium grading is difficult and processors have a lot of onions in stock. Onions that are of a lower quality are often still exported to Eastern Europe. This provides a good basis for the export figures.
In the longer term, more and more onions are grown locally in Eastern Europe; Onion cultivation is growing strongly, especially in Poland. The cultivation and storage conditions are getting better and better. As a result, the countries in Eastern Europe are increasingly becoming competitors for the Dutch onion sector.