The onion stock is becoming increasingly limited, which has consequences for the onion sorters. Due to the shortage, various sorters are partly at a standstill and are requesting shorter working hours for their staff.
Of the 35 Dutch onion processors, 5 have requested a reduction in working hours for some of their permanent employees, Gijsbrecht Gunter, chairman of the trade organization Holland Onion Association (HOA), told the newspaper. Reformatorisch Dagblad. The flexible workers have often already been sent home and he expects this number to increase in the coming weeks.
Onion quality is declining
"Such a situation has not happened in decades." Gunter says that the quality of the onions is declining, which is caused by the high temperatures at the moment. He estimates that exports this season will amount to about 750.000 tons, compared to 1,1 million tons last year. "That could mean that the onion sector loses markets."
It became apparent on Monday that onion supplies are becoming more limited February 25 still from the stock inventory of the United Growers Arable Farming (VTA). According to VTA, growers' stock of yellow seed onions in the first week of February was 60% lower than last year.