Is there too little onion seed for 2019?

However, inquiries with seed suppliers also show that there is generally no shortage (yet). Suppliers do notice strong demand very early in the season, especially for seed of red onion varieties and seed with the Mundial insecticide coating. 

It is not the case that onion seed production is affected by drought, as is the case with seed potatoes, for example. The production of onion seed often takes place outside the Netherlands (mainly in France), where the effects of the drought were smaller.

Early demand for red varieties
Seed suppliers notice a high demand for red onion varieties early in the season. "Purchasing started at the beginning of September and one variety after another was quickly sold out," says Peter Vroegindeweij, account manager at De Groot en Slot. "Last year the demand was also early, but this year it is exceptionally early. Production cannot simply be increased, because it is a multi-year plan."

Hoza, the other major supplier of red onion varieties, also notices that the demand for seed of red varieties is early. "It is unclear where this demand comes from today." Typically, the company only notices a peak in the months of January and February.

Larger area of ​​red onions
Since De Groot and Slot and Hoza are the 2 largest suppliers of red onion seed (and both have good yields), it is not the availability of seed that explains the early demand. It indicates that the area of ​​red onions will expand next year, but it is still too early to say this with certainty.

So where does the rumor come from? This is partly due to the fact that this is the last year in which coated seed is available, because the Mundial product may no longer be used from 2019. Both De Groot en Slot and Hoza notice a lot of demand for insecticide-coated seed.

Last year
"At the end of the marketing season, it could indeed be the case that we are sold out for certain yellow varieties with insecticide coating. The growers would then have to switch to a basic coated seed or to another variety," says Vroegindeweij. Hoza notices that the demand for insecticide-coated seed is currently twice as high.

Seed may be coated with Mundial until March, but may not be sold after that. Growers may fear that suppliers will coat less seed, so that they are not left with too much coated seed. However, inquiries show that suppliers do not coat less. Hoza even coated more seed.

Hoarding
The seed coated with Mundial may be used indefinitely after March; although it may no longer be produced. Growers may want to order as much as possible in order to build up a stock. However, the question is whether this is wise. Seed suppliers store this seed in conditioned conditions (and certainly coated seed is more sensitive) and so it cannot be stored for too long.