Featured image: yellow onion harvest, photo courtesy of Jeff Robins, General Manager Champion Produce in Parma, ID
MARKET
Washington:
John Vlahandreas with Wada Farms reported in from his Salem, OR, sales office this week. “Demand is OK,” he said. “It has slowed up a bit, but honestly I think shippers are in a good place because they don’t have to be in a hurry to sell and can focus on getting onions in the barn. Of the demand we do have, it’s mostly for jumbo yellows. The demand could be off because, buyers are looking to see where the market settles out, and as everyone works to get what they have in storage the market will settle for awhile.” John continued, “Once the Northwest can assess what they have left, I anticipate there will be a spike in pricing even if it’s not a lot. The Northwest has sold so many onions to this point, overall there might not be a ton of onions left and that could very well drive the market up.” On quality, John said it’s been good. “You know, I have sold a ton of onions recently and maybe had issues with a handful of pallets, so I would say that quality is pretty darn good.” Looking at transportation, John said trucks are available. “We can definitely get trucks, but rates are getting back up there in part due to the rise in fuel costs as a result of the hurricane weather, and that may continue, but trucks are out there.”
Idaho-E. Oregon/Washington:
Jason Pearson with Eagle Eye Produce in Nyssa, OR, told us on Sept. 28 that demand is “a little off this week.” He said, “Of course, it’s the time of year when the demand has traditionally been slightly down. You know, we’re in the terrible twos, but I also think buyers are taking a wait-and-see attitude with the market in flux right now. There are some selling cheap when they shouldn’t be. That said, I do think we will see the market stabilize and settle at a good place.” Jason continued, “Of the demand we are getting this week, buyers are looking for yellows and reds. There are a few orders for whites, but not a ton. Our availability is good. We have all colors and sizes available. The quality is excellent, and we are truckin’ right along with harvest. We have been fortunate that we have enough labor to cover everything we need for harvest and production.” On transportation, Jason said it’s getting a little tight. “It seems like pricing is starting to creep up, but we can still get trucks. My advice is if you can get a truck, TAKE IT!”
Idaho-E. Oregon:
Herb Haun with Weiser Onion Produce in Weiser, ID, told us on Sept. 23 that he had been seeing strong demand on all three colors, with bigger sizes predictably at the front of the pack and medium reds also been moving well. Herb said Weiser Onion will finish putting storage away the first or second week of October, noting that volume will be down again this year as a result of planting and growing season weather. Sizing in late September was trending mostly to jumbos, and Herb also said there are fewer colossals and more mediums. Pricing has been holding steady and transportation had not been difficult thus far.
Josh Frederick with Snake River Produce in Nyssa, OR, told us on Sept. 23 that demand had leveled off, which gave the crew a good opportunity to focus on getting the storage crop put away. “Things have been moving at a steady pace,” he said, adding that while medium yellows were seeing the most demand earlier in the season, mid- to late September saw a “steady mixer of all three colors and sizes” with the call for jumbos strong. The Nyssa shed started putting onions in storage the week of Sept. 12, and Josh said the storage crop was trending to jumbo and colossal yellows, “which worked out great.” Our thanks to Joshua for great photos this week! Click image to enlarge and scroll.
Thanks, too, to Jeff Robins, General Manager Champion Produce in Parma, ID, for the terrific photos this week! Click image to enlarge and scroll.
Our thanks to Madison Froerer in the Owyhee Produce sales department for providing a video update from her brother, Owyhee CEO Shay Myers, who’s in the fields looking at onions, ready to come in with his perspective on the fourth quarter market. You may also view the original video on Shay’s LinkedIn page at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayfmyers/recent-activity/
Colorado Western Slope:
David DeBerry with Southwest Onion Growers in McAllen, TX, said this week is a “rinse and repeat” of last week’s report. The Delta shed is running full speed and full volume for all three colors, and the operation is halfway through the fresh onion crop and putting onions into storage. Weather on the Western Slope is cooling and is drier, with highs this week dropping into the 70s and 80s, a more temperate setting for harvest. David said fresh crop yields have been “normal or a little above” with good quality. Demand has been good, and the onions 18 percent mediums and 82 percent jumbos and colossals in all three colors. Fresh crop will run until Oct. 5-10, and storage will go until mid-December. Transportation, he said, has not been difficult.
Don Ed Holmes with The Onion House in Weslaco, TX, said on Sept. 28 his Olathe, CO, deal continues with good movement in all three colors. Don Ed also works with Corinne, UT, growers, and that deal will kick off in three weeks. He said the crop there also looks to be very good this year.
Wisconsin:
Doug Bulgrin with Gumz Farms in Endeavor reported in on Sept. 28. “We are really excited about this season,” he said. “Our quality has been excellent, and we are really happy with the pricing holding as well as it has.” Doug added, “For us, demand has been very good. We are moving a lot of medium and jumbo yellows. We have been putting onions in the barn, and it looks like we will finish harvest up sometime next week. It’s all going well, and we are hopeful this will be one of our best seasons yet.” Many thanks, to Doug for terrific harvest photos! Click image to enlarge and scroll.
CROP
California:
Megan Jacobsen with Gills Onions in Oxnard told us on Sept. 28, “We are already in planning mode for 2023 and, believe it or not, Rio Farms and Gills Onions begin planting in Brawley (Imperial County) in the next two to three weeks.” Megan said Steve Gill was in Washington this week to say hi to onion friends there, and “he said the Washington crop looks really good.” Thanks to Megan and Steve for the great photo from WA.
