Last October 25th, the FEPEX Onion sectoral committee met within the framework of the Fruit Attraction fair held in Madrid. The objective was to take stock of the current 2018/2019 onion campaign.
The main conclusion was that the weather conditions recorded during every stage of the crop's cultivation have been good, which has resulted in a recovery of the yields to normal levels, following the low ones of the 2017 campaign. According to official data, the total area planted with onions in Spain reached 24,205 hectares, which is 4% less than in the previous year. However, the recovery of yields means that the production may reach 1,326,928 tons, which entails an increase of 2.6% compared to the 2017 campaign.
The harvesting process is almost complete (at 90%), and only some batches with specific characteristics, mostly intended for industrial processes, remain. The quality of the onions that are already in storage is considered excellent; as for sizes, medium-high calibers are said to predominate.
The committee also analyzed the current situation in Europe, marked by shortages and a lack of large and average calibers. Therefore, the current campaign could be an "interesting one" in the field of marketing, with very good opportunities for high quality Spanish onions to gain access to new markets. This is good news, as according to the president of the committee, D. Alfonso Tarazona, "wherever Spanish onions go, they stay, as their quality stands out compared to other onions."
More information:
PROCECAM
www.procecam.es