Dutch onion exports have been exceeding 40.000 tons more often this season than a darts player throws 180. In recent weeks, it's been back and forth, with one week above and the next just below. This is unprecedented.
According to preliminary figures from the KCB and the GroentenFruit Huis, a total of 40.612 tons were exported in week 44. This marks the sixth time this season that exports have exceeded 40.000 tons. This is the total in eighteen weeks; in that respect, exports are 1 in 3.
Since 2021, Dutch onion exports have occasionally shipped more than 40.000 tons of onions across the border in a single week. Until this season, this happened eight times, half of which were in the 2024-2025 season. This season, the total is already six, and the traditionally peak sales weeks are still to come.
Normally, the largest quantities of onions are shipped from mid-November onwards. Buyers want to stock up for Christmas, as they can sell the most onions just before the holidays. This will likely be the case this year as well. It's expected that several boats will be filled for Africa each week in the lead-up to Christmas. This means large quantities will be shipped immediately, as each boat can easily hold 5.000 to 6.000 tons of onions.
In the eighteen weeks for which export figures are available this season, a total of nearly 570.000 tons of onions were exported. Of these, 125.000 tons went to Senegal. Ivory Coast follows with over 105.000 tons.
In week 44, the last week of October, nearly 10.000 tons were shipped to Senegal. This provides the approximately 19 million Senegalese each with half a kilo of onions for a week. And they're already gone by the time the next shipment arrives. Smaller quantities of onions are transported inland from the port city of Dakar by truck. Onions constitute the largest component of hot meals in the country.
Ivory Coast is also making a significant impact on Dutch onions. In week 44, sales to this country increased to just over 9.100 tons. Great Britain is also ramping up imports slightly, importing a total of 3.820 tons of onions from the Netherlands in week 44. Total sales to British islanders have thus risen to 52.170 tons.