With the sky-high onion prices, the 2022/2023 season will go down in the books as a special year. Due to the high prices, exports were different than we are used to, but Dutch onions remained popular. The export value will almost certainly break through the border of half a billion euros. That is the opinion of the Holland Onion Association (HOA).
We will not break a record in terms of volume this export season, but that is also difficult with the lower onion harvest of 2022. Figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) indicate a harvest of more than 1,2 million tons. In addition, the record prices that had to be paid do not work in favor of the export volume. African countries refrained to a certain extent from purchasing expensive Dutch onions. The increased European demand partly compensates for this, meaning that 1,12 million tons of onions have already been exported this season until mid-June.
Europe is emptying the storage warehouses
The majority of Dutch onion exports are destined for Africa. But countries such as Senegal, Ivory Coast and Guinea were forced to hold back due to the high prices. For example, Ivory Coast purchased 2021 tons of onions last season (22/171.000) and this season this amount remained at more than 24 tons until week 124.000. Senegal also purchased 162.000 tons less with 13.000 tons. With 59.000 tons of onions this season, Guinea also purchased almost 20.000 tons less than last season, according to the export figures of GroentenFruithuis. However, Africa remained on the market because its own harvest is insufficient and there are few alternatives to the onion on the African menu.
The deficit was compensated by the disappointing onion yields in Europe, which led to a sharp increase in exports to various EU countries. This, together with the meager 2022 onion harvest, meant that these onions were eventually used up at the end of the storage season. Countries such as Spain, France, but also Poland purchased significantly more onions, the figures show. Germany even almost doubled from more than 22.000 in 2021/22 to 43.000 tons this season. The onion harvest was also disappointing in Belgium and almost 51.000 more tons of onions were purchased there at 18.000 tons.
Due to this export shift, the top 20 buyers look quite different this season. Senegal and Ivory Coast are normally numbers 1 and 2, but Great Britain now occupies 2nd place and easily passes the 150.000 tons of onions mark this season. As mentioned earlier, European countries purchase more and are therefore higher in the top 20 buyers.
Export value
The export record in volume will not be broken, but the export value of Dutch onions will be affected due to the high prices. HOA reports that the export value will almost certainly break the magical barrier of €0,5 billion. In the year 2022, the export value already increased by 18%. For Dutch sorters and exporters, high turnover does not automatically mean more profit. The market was difficult, especially in the second half of the season, due to several factors, such as the high volatility of the onions, quality and fixed agreements.