In a difficult sales market for onions from the field, newcomer UienConnect claims to have extracted everything it could. The newcomer could not complain about interest. The pool managers also see a great diversity in parties this year.
Last harvest year, UienConnect kicked off with a storage pool for yellow and red seed onions. This year, an ex-land pool was added for yellow seed onions. The UienConnect pool is a collaboration between four independent commissioners. They saw sufficient space for a new pool in a changing onion landscape. Thanks to this collaboration, it is active nationwide in all major cultivation areas.
Long-term relations
The interest around the closing date is also the direct reason why the pool committee strictly adhered to the end date of the pool, explains manager Rogus Vonk. "Last summer, the market did not want to get going properly. Growers looked askance at the area expansions and tried to accommodate a few more onions in the pool. That does not fit in with our approach. It puts long-term relationships first."
The result in the off-land pool is €11,11 per 100 kilos, including a Global Gap compensation. Vonk: "With a bottom in the market of around €8 and a top of €12,50, that is – we think – a good reflection of the pricing in the off-land period. We realize that, certainly with the average onion yield, you cannot grow onions for this price, but we have gotten the most out of the market."
If you compare the average onion price of the HOA (Holland Onion Association) with the pool price, this picture is correct. In the period between week 34 and week 40, the average price is €10,75 per 100 kilos, with a spread of €9,44 to €12,25.
No outliers
What made it difficult for the managers was the heterogeneity of the lots in quality and sorting. Vonk: "This year, there is not one area that stood out. Everywhere you see regions where something was wrong with water and hail damage or other problems. Both on sandy and clay soil. This results not only in a varying quality, but also in a very varying size sorting. We are happy that all lots have finally been given a place."
An erratic growing season is the picture that onion growers and buyers have seen manifest for several years in a row. "Weather influences have a major impact on the yield of the crop," Vonk knows. "Growers with quality and kilos have had the chance to make money in the last two seasons. This year, the season may not even be that bad, if you take into account the considerable expansion of the area. In a 'normal' season, there would certainly have been too many onions. Now we have seen that the regrowth in most places was simply disappointing."
Growth in volume
Vonk is cautious about the outcome of the second half of the sales season – and with it the result of the storage pool. "At the moment it is quiet at the sorters and in the trade. The main question is whether other destinations will take over from Africa. That remains to be seen, it is really too early to say anything concrete about that."
According to the onion specialist, there are not many newcomers who quickly say goodbye to onion cultivation. "Arable farmers are currently busy filling in their construction plan and the onion has its permanent place in it. Entrepreneurs look at the return over several years, just like we do." Next year there will be room for natural growth for both the yellow off-land and red and yellow storage pools.