Early onion sowing in Spain was completed around a month ago and, in this case, the acreage has been reduced by between 10 and 12%, with a significant drop of more than 30% in Andalusia, the main early onion growing area in Spain, FreshPlaza notes.
However, the acreage devoted to mid-season and late onions is expected to remain similar to that of last season, with perhaps just a slight reduction, according to the Castile-La Mancha Onion Growers’ Association, Procecam.
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“Bearing in mind the generally disastrous commercial results of onions this season, it is surprising that the area planted with onions for storage has remained stable. Just as we saw with early onions, we had expected the planting of late onions to be reduced, as well,” says Procecam director Luis Fernando Rubio. “It is worth recalling that, in general, sales prices have not managed to cover costs throughout the season.”
“Since the acreage is similar to last year’s, we fear that, if the optimum conditions for high yields are met, we could once again have to deal with overproduction next season,” warns Rubio. “Onions planted outside programs are putting extra pressure on the supply, which this season has been very high in almost all of Europe.”
At the moment, Spanish onion sales remain sluggish and prices are not profitable, despite this year’s high quality and large sizes. There continues to be pressure on the markets due to abundant stocks from various origins.
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