The onion export figures have been something to write home about this whole year. This result is achieved without the addition of special export destinations.
Calendar year 2022 represents an average export of 21.086 tons. This is a pretty good average for a second half of the season. For comparison: last season, an average of 15.692 tons of onions were exported per week in the first thirteen weeks of the year. This season's high average has been achieved without any special destinations being added. The usual export destinations for this time of the season purchase more onions on average, with the purchase from Great Britain being more than 50% higher than last season.
The mood on the farm has become a lot more settled this week. After €15 was quoted for large onions in Emmeloord last week, onion growers are not quick to give their onions away. People have the feeling that a new purchasing round is coming and that is why they are holding on to the onions. Moreover, onion growers are busy with field work, which means that selling onions is on the back burner. The mood among processors is a lot less positive. With the current bale prices for medium grades and asking prices at the farm, processors cannot make an onion transaction profitable.
The stock market quotations took a step up this week. Across the board, both medium-grade onions and large onions increased. When all odds are compared, €30 to €60 is paid for the 11-14% sort and €60 to €12,50 for the 15,00% upward sort. Both the stock exchange committee in Middenmeer and Emmeloord describe the onion market as price-sensitive, which means that demand is greater than or equal to supply.
The difference between the medium grades and the coarser onions is still very visible in the bale prices. An overview of the bale prices can be found in the DCA quotation Bale price of Onions.