Europe is a large producer of onions and therefore is a competitive market. However, there is still room for imported onions, depending on the European stock levels and harvest. Opportunities for suppliers from developing countries are available in exporting onions in the off-season, when European countries have to fill in a gap. It is therefore essential to look at this window of opportunity. The most potential markets are the large European markets, such as the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain.
Product description
This study focuses on exporting fresh onions to the European market. Onions (scientific name: Allium cepa) are known for their strong smell and sharp taste, which adds depth and richness to many dishes. Onions are crucial in European farming and food. Onions come in various types and varieties (such as red, white and yellow onions) and each type has a distinct flavour and use in dishes, which therefore satisfies diverse consumer preferences.
Window opportunities for developing countries
The European import volume of onions has been relatively stable over the past five years. Overall, there is a slight negative compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -1.2% over the whole period. The largest growth was recorded in 2023, when European imports increased by 17% compared to 2022 due to challenging climate conditions leading to lower harvests within Europe.
Which European countries offer the most opportunities for onions?
With a market share of almost 18%, the United Kingdom is the largest importer of onions. The Netherlands, which is an important trade hub for onions, comes second. After the Netherlands come Germany, Poland and Spain. These top five countries account for almost 60% of total European imports.
In this section, you can read more details about the European import volumes of onions. These figures are also shown in Figure 4 and further analysed in this section. These figures are crucial for suppliers of onions from developing countries to select priority markets. Typically, there is a strong relation between the production in a country and its import volume. If a country has a bad harvest one year, it will likely import more onions. This explains the typical patterns of each of the countries in the figure below.
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