Precipitation was badly needed for the onion harvest. In several plots the ground was too hard to be able to harvest. The sorters accept the fact that the harvest has come to a standstill for a while. Most companies still have sufficient work stock to be able to move forward.
According to some traders, it is remarkable that grower prices at the regional fairs hardly respond or even drop slightly in a week when virtually no onions can be loaded. Most sorting companies say that the weather reports look good for next week and that a few days of rest to empty the boxes will be useful. Some people see the stable prices as a sign that the demand for onions is not extremely high. With the current price you can't get onions out of the shed. It is therefore a gamble to assume that growers will be able to happily continue with onions from the field in a few days.
early harvest
A large part of the onions have been harvested. Estimates vary, but various sources estimate that as much as half of the country's onions come from the country. The onion harvest is therefore relatively early. If the weather cooperates a bit, we normally still have a supply of onions from the field for a few weeks. For growers who really want a threefold increase in price, it will be a matter of making or breaking, some traders predict. €27, €28 is the maximum for the sorters. A speculator may want to give a little more or the price may be slightly higher for a large lot, but that is not representative of the market, according to the trade. Sorters who want to store onions dry from the shed pay €30 or more. “You have to,” says a trader. "Growers simply won't let the onions go for less."
De DCA listing bale price onions remains largely unchanged from last week. Most sorters report that the average price is creeping up little by little. For the nice lots with sufficient large onions, the average price is around €36 per 100 kilos. Only the sale of triplets is a bit more difficult for various exporters. "If you ensure that there are enough onions that are close to 50 mm, you can get rid of them at a decent price," according to a sorter.