In a special report for OnionBusiness.com, Stu Follen, the owner of SL Follen Company, located in Portland, OR, has offered valuable insights into the 2024 New Zealand onion crop, shedding light on the current state of affairs and future expectations.
Since its establishment in 1986, SL Follen Company has been a steadfast partner with its customers, focusing on long-term success. The company is renowned for exporting hay and feed products from the United States to Asia and the Middle East. Additionally, SL Follen Company plays a major role in exporting onions and potatoes from the prolific regions of Oregon and Washington.
New Zealand Onion Crop Update
This week, Stu Follen graciously shares information on the 2024 New Zealand onion crop. The current crop size surpasses the last couple of years and aligns with the crop years of 2020/21. Notably, New Zealand onion growers heavily depend on export markets due to the relatively small size of the local population in comparison to the quantity of onions produced.
Key Export Markets for New Zealand:
- Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong)
- North Asia (Japan/Taiwan)
- Europe
- UK
Export Tonnage of NZ Onions (Approximate):
- 2020: 200,000 MT
- 2021: 200,000 MT
- 2022: 135,000 MT
- 2023: 142,000 MT
- 2024 (Projected): 200,000 MT
Market Outlook
The global demand for New Zealand onions in 2024 appears promising. Europe and the UK, having faced challenging growing conditions in 2023, are expected to rely on NZ imports this year. Southeast Asia, consistently dependent on NZ supplies as northern hemisphere countries’ stock diminishes from February onward, remains a key market.
Japan’s demand is also anticipated to be robust until their new crop onions arrive later in the Spring. This year, the main domestic supplies from Hokkaido are lower than usual.
However, despite the positive market outlook, shipping concerns may pose challenges. New Zealand is set to market an additional 60,000 MT (equivalent to approximately 2500-40′ containers) this season. With several ocean carriers avoiding the Suez Canal region and a slowdown in the Panama Canal, transit times to Europe from New Zealand could increase by 2 weeks or more, potentially impacting the prompt delivery of products to customers.
Quality Assurance
As of now, there are no serious concerns regarding the quality of the New Zealand onions.
On behalf of OnionBusiness.com, we extend our sincere thanks to Stu Follen for providing this exclusive and insightful update on the 2024 New Zealand onion crop. Stay tuned for more industry updates and analyses from OnionBusiness.com.
