"The Flevo Onions red onion pool has been a success for the fourth year in a row," says pool manager Remko Wilms. At the end of June, growers were again presented with a price that is satisfying. Interest is clearly growing.
The result of the storage pool for red onions for last season amounted to €16,03 per 100 kilos (in week 13), including compensation for Global Gap and excluding weighing costs. The pool committee has also decided to pay a surcharge of €0,50 per 100 kilos (70 millimeters upwards). "In red onions, size is even more strongly demanded and therefore rewarded," says pool manager Remko Wilms.
Late sales season
De yellow storage pool has a duration from week 48 to week 20, while sales from the red pool mainly only started in week 13. The focus was therefore precisely on the 'expensive weeks'. The payment price per individual grower is therefore higher. "The growers are completely satisfied with the result," says Wilms. "The pool has now been in existence for 4 years and is a resounding success. You can see a shift from yellow to red (in both pools). Looking at the national area, the volume in the pool is substantial."
Crate storage is a must for those who want to supply red onions to Flevo Onions. Growers are therefore realistic about the price difference of €7 compared to yellow. Cultivation involves more risk and storage costs are higher. The yield no longer differs much, according to Wilms' experience. "The top varieties of red onions are following in the wake of yellow."
Growers who have box storage and cooling are the first to switch to red onions; sometimes it also concerns ex-carrot growers who already have these options (this is the case in Groningen). A relatively large number of new storage sheds are being built in Flevoland, with box storage being the immediate starting point. "If a grower can choose again, they will all opt for storage in boxes," says Wilms.
Keep volume the same
The quality of the red onions was good. In terms of average percentage, it ends up slightly higher than yellow (about 7,4%). Red onions are mainly sold locally, in Europe and not overseas. Although the first finer batches from the pool were sold to Asia, when a demand for red onions suddenly arose there.
The volume in the pool will remain stable next season, although the area is expected to increase. “If we increase the quota in the pool, we will lose our agility,” said the onion man. "Responding quickly to the challenges that the season brings becomes increasingly difficult," Wilms concludes.