It is difficult to get informed about the onion market. The mood is good. Only the trade on the farmer is sometimes difficult to follow. The confidence among the growers is fine, but there are major differences in how the farmers deal with this.
The trade in onions continues smoothly. The rain in the southwest is putting a bit of a brake on the supply from land, but most sorters have sufficient stock to continue for a while. This is also because sales are a bit quieter, especially compared to last year. That was an extreme season with a combination of a large acreage, high yields and sorters who worked hard to stamp out as many onions as possible during the period when the market was full in Africa. This season the area is smaller, around the multi-year average. The yields are in all likelihood around the multi-year average. Partly because of this, the market is clean. At the same time, Africa is demanding, albeit on a more modest scale due to the high price. According to most traders, the fact that the off-shore period is being extended somewhat by the rain is only beneficial.
Perception
The mood of both growers, sorters and traders is certainly good. What is striking is how differently farmers act on the current market. One grower insists on €30 for the onions delivered from the field and waits patiently until someone bites. To make optimal use of the good weather, the other temporarily moved the onions into the potato cell a few weeks ago. This is in the hope that the price will rise a bit and now that the potato harvest is just around the corner, it must be removed quickly. There are farmers among them who say 'guessed and gambled wrong'. Yet there is still quite a bit left if you now get €27 or €28 from the shed.
De DCA listing bale price onions shows no major changes this week. The top price for supers has risen to €37 per 100 kilos. On the other hand, the lower end of the quote for triplets has dropped €1 to €31 per 100 kilos. Taking all grades together, the bale price is around €36 per 100 kilos.