Northern Colorado:
Ryan Fagerberg at Fagerberg Produce in Eaton, CO, said holiday demand was very good, and sales continue to be brisk in the New Year. “We have experienced good sales volume numbers over the past three weeks,” Ryan said. “Many sheds chose not to run around the holidays, and that likely led to some increased sales here. However, the majority of where we are seeing higher sales numbers is with current retail customers. They not only seemed to have done well before Christmas, but now they need to restock their shelves.”
Ryan added that the storage supplies are such that “… I am feeling fairly confident that we will be finished in mid- to late March.”
Colorado Western Slope:
Don Ed Holmes of Onion House in Weslaco, TX, said the West Slope deal was good this season and is on the back side, finishing up by the first of February.
Utah:
Utah and Western Colorado run close together, and Don Ed said Utah is expected to finish up the middle of February. Looking at those regions and the overall market, he said, “Movement since the beginning of the year has been very good, and prices are up a couple of dollar since the holidays. Right now everyone in onions is pretty happy.”
IEO:
Herb Haun at Haun Packing in Weiser, ID, agreed it’s a great time to be in the onion business.
He said, “Holiday movement was fantastic! The market is very strong this week for all colors and all sizes, with yellows seeing the largest increase.” Herb told us he foresees this trend continuing throughout the balance of the season, speculating the market is due in part to limited supplies and lateness of new crop. “Those are all very good signs for IEO,” he said.
S. Texas:
Recent weather in South Texas has been good for the onions now in the ground, according to Don Ed Holmes. “It finally cooled off – a little later than normal, but it is cooler,” Don Ed said on Jan. 6. “The onions will go dormant in the cool weather and then take off when it gets warmer in the next few months.”
He said the Rio Grande Valley crop looks good, with about 20 percent loss overall on what was planted before the Hurricane Patricia and later rains in October and November. “The after-rain crop looks real nice,” Don Ed said, and he said early onions will be coming in the third week of March.
Mexico:
Don Ed also weighed in on the Mexican crop and its dovetailing with the Peruvian deal that is expected to run out in late January or early February.
“The Mexican crop is coming along really nice, with no bad effects from El Niño,” he said.
Don Ed also told OnionBusiness.com that the current white market in Mexico “is better than the white market in the States.”
