“The UK will finish the season two to four weeks early,” said Jonathan Tole, vice-chairman of the British Onion Producers’ Association. “Usually supplies from cold store run until mid-June, but this year they could finish as early as mid-May, although it varies slightly from grower to grower.”
Product from the southern hemisphere has started to arrive and fill the shortfall. “Onions from Chile and New Zealand have begun arriving in the UK, and more are on the water,” said Tole, pictured. “But there will not be a surplus. I would say the market is undersupplied, but this position is a world market situation. The Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe have the same situation as us and stocks are tight in the US and some parts of Asia too. We expect supplies to be tight all the way up to late August or early September when the new UK season starts. It is still not certain how things will be then, as it is early days.”
Tole said the UK crop in the ground is doing well so far, with sets going in during January and February and drilling completed in late March.
“Early growing has been good and the warm temperatures are pushing them along,” he said. “A little rain now would help, though.”
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