Holland Onion reclaims podium place
After the harvest season of 2018, which was disastrous for the export, the Holland Onion is having a peak year again. The gross yield per ha has been provisionally calculated by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) at just over 53 (metric) tons per hectare. That is no less than 65% percent more than the 0,9 million tons of last season, although that is a somewhat contrived comparison. This year’s harvest is a significant improvement. According to the preliminary estimates of the CBS approximately 1,5 million (metric) tons of seed onions was harvested this season. The gross yield has thus fully returned to the level of 2017. And so our Holland Onion has taken its position again on the world stage.
Yet again a new record regarding export volume
Looking at the first half of the year the export has achieved green numbers. Halfway through the cumulative record of 2017 was shattered. And recently even the iconic weekly record of 40.000 (metric) tons was reached! The Dutch onion chain is realizing an increased sales of more than 4% as compared to the almost magical golden year of 2017 and is therefore dominating the global rankings once more at the expense of India.
Export ban India
More than that, at the moment we are exporting onions to India! So it is a good thing that we, the Holland Onion Association, have gained access to the Indian market since 2012. Hard work to compile a Pest Riks Analysis (PRA), a powerful lobby and a government that put in quite a bit of effort has helped open up this market. And now our HOA members can enjoy the benefits. Also Bangladesh and the surrounding Asian countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia will be welcoming our Holland Onion. After all, onions which in previous years were imported from both India as well as the Netherlands, can now only be Dutch onions.
Remarkable changes
There are a number of remarkable changes to be noted in the export top 20. After 2 years of absence Brazil returns to the fifth position in our ranking. The country has had to deal with crop damage as a result of weather influences and can import very little from nearby South American countries since they struggle with the same issues. It is a first for Holland Onions to be shipped to Brazil this early in the season. So it is quite possible that this destination will pop up again later in the season. The most striking change has to be Poland coming in at the 12th place with an increased sales of more than 500%!
Plusses in the Far East
A plus that is quietly being surpassed by Thailand, which is in the 19th position for the time being, with just over 7,5 million kilograms. And all of that, coming from the 87th position in 2018 with just 29.000 kilograms. We see similar things when looking at the export to Malaysia, reaching more than 38 million kilograms, making a full return to and even surpassing the level of 2017. For many East Asian countries the Holland Onion is the solution to the shortages that occurred after the lockdown of the Indian export.
Also inside the top 20 this season we find the island formerly known as Ceylon, Sri Lanka, emerging from nowhere with an export volume of more than 22 million kilograms. And the same applies to a country like Libya, also appearing out of thin air and soaring to more than 2,7 million kilograms.
