Our friend Robert Bell with Western Onion in Camarillo, CA, told us on Feb. 9 that New Zealand growers are bringing onions in from the fields. “New Zealand onions are being harvested now,” he said. “Quality is good this year unlike last year when they were hit with two cyclones in less than a month during harvest. We will most likely start importing some to the U.S. soon.”
About the photos and video footage he sent us, Robert said, “These are all pictures and videos sent to me from Michael Blake with New Zealand Onion Co. [and] are from this season’s harvest that will go until late March.”
He added, “The specific onion varieties shown were developed by Tasman Seeds and are the same ones we’re working on with Tasman Seeds to adapt and grow here in the US. Dr Michael Havey, who retired from directing the USDA allium research facility at the university of Wisconsin at Madison, currently in NZ, which he does each year during harvest season since joining our team upon his retirement from USDA. He acts as a consultant helping to refine and develop new varieties of onions with the main focus on reds.”
Our thanks to Robert and Michael for the update.
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