Exports are running like clockwork at the moment. Sorters are still stamping on in the run-up to the Christmas holidays and try to get rid of the orders as much as possible before the staff goes on Christmas holidays. That brings a positive mood to the market. That does not mean that there is a lot of trade on the farmer.
The onion trade is mainly about expectation management. Most sorters and exporters have their positions in place for the rest of this month and are only making additional purchases occasionally. Then we have to wait and see what the demand will do. At the beginning of January, a lot of things can still go to Africa as things stand now. Eastern Europe is just not ready to do business yet. Buyers there find Dutch onions too expensive compared to local products. Comparisons are often made with this season's price movements with 2018. Some insiders doubt whether this also applies to the second half of this season. The European onion harvest is certainly smaller than last season, but some doubt whether the drought has had the same effect as in 2018. For example, few good onions are currently being exported to Poland, for example. The bad lots (with an appropriate price) are in great demand. According to some, this is a sign that Poland is not starved of good, attractively priced onions. The line between expensive and too expensive could therefore become very thin in the second half of the season.
Stemming
The DCA quotation Bale price of Onions takes a step this week. The price range is very large. On average, all grades combined, the bale price is around €50 per 100 kilos. The price of medium and coarse are close to each other. Triplets have improved considerably compared to last week. With the supers it's what the fool gives for it. Some exporters choose to sell them together with triplets for a nice 'package price' at the medium and large, while others sell them for good money to the peeling factory.