The onion market in Poland shadows that in the Netherlands and also shows a record price. The average price level is now 267% higher than a year ago. The Poles can also be satisfied with the export. He also has a record. As a result, almost all onion sheds are already empty. The Polish carrot market is also doing well.
Since mid-September, the Polish onion price has been virtually unchanged. The prices paid were invariably just above €40 per 100 kilos for sorted and bagged product. That changed at the end of January. In one month, the price has risen to an average of PLN 3,85 per kilo. That is €82 per 100 kilos. The bandwidth runs from €75 to €89. Such a high price level has never been reached before.
Risk for new harvest
The onion market in Poland is being emptied at a rapid pace. Because other European countries can hardly meet the demand for onions, insiders expect prices to rise even further. Thanks to a mild winter, the winter sowing and planting onions are in good condition. This week, temperatures will drop again at night to -5 to -9 degrees. It is not uncommon for it to freeze heavily in March, which can cause frost damage to the onions due to a lack of snow. When this happens, there really is a 'perfect storm' on the onion market.
In 2022, the country exported 200.800 tons of onions, which is a record. After Ukraine, the Netherlands is the largest customer with 52.000 tons. A year earlier, the export volume was 144.100 tons of onions. The average price level of €53 is also particularly high and almost a quarter higher than in 2021.
Strong carrot market
Last season, 643.000 tons of onions were harvested in the country. That is 4% more compared to 2021. The carrot yield actually shows a decrease, from 638.000 to 603.000 tons. Polish carrot prices already started the season at a high level and have been on the rise since the end of November. This means that the market deviates considerably compared to the Netherlands, where there has only been some movement in recent weeks.
Many Polish carrot growers have chosen to sell their product ex-field because of the high storage costs. The market therefore had to deal with a considerable surplus during the harvest period, which depressed the price until the beginning of December. The price then stood at €21 per 100 kilos. That is now €50. This does concern sorted and packaged products. This means that the price level is 40% higher than a year ago.
Good perspective
The Dutch carrot prices, at €50 to €65, are higher than the prices for Polish product. This creates an increasing demand for our own product. Insiders expect that fewer carrots will reach the market from Southern Europe, and perhaps later in the season, due to weather extremes there. The new carrot season got off to a good start closer to home in February. A lot therefore depends on a good connection between the old and new harvest. It is estimated that - due to the strong demand and low supply - this offers a good price perspective for the new harvest.