EU: Onion production 2016/17 back to high levels
(AMI) - The onion production for the season 2016/17 in the EU will reach 6.01 million tons, an increase of 9 % compared to last year. Two years ago onion production was already at a comparable level. This year's amount will only miss the record level of 2011/12 by 100,000 t.
Yields in western and middle Europe were even lower than the year before, were they were already low. The continued buildup of onion area resulted however in an increase of production in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands and dampened the effect of reduced yields in France and Denmark. Only the UK and Hungary experienced a decrease in cultivated area. We do have estimates of cultivated area from Germany, France, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, the UK and Denmark. In these 8 countries the area increased by 15 % from the low in 2012/13. In absolute figures that is an increase of 13. 000 ha!
Yields were rather high in Southern Europe, especially in Spain. Eastern Europe also experienced better yields than the season before.
Contrary to the previous seasons almost all onions were in store in the beginning of November. While growing conditions were often not optimal in middle and northern Europe, harvest conditions were very good in all countries. So the skin quality was mostly good, even in countries, which often have problems with skin color.
In general onion sizes of the storage crop are slightly smaller than in the previous season and a very high proportion falls in the range of 40-80 mm, which is preferred in middle Europe. Only Poland sees generally bigger onions than a season before. (January 3rd, 2017)