By Michael Blake
New Zealand Onion Company Ltd.
The First New Season Onions are on the market, Japanese short days for Local market Usage and for Shipment to the Pacific Islands as storage crops are finishing up in the next 3-4 weeks.
The main Export Crops Both Yellows and Reds are doing well In The Puekkohe Region and some irrigation has commenced. The first of The Pukekohe Long Types will be lifted for curing in about 6 – 8 weeks and harvest will begin in Mid January with Exports commencing shortly thereafter.
The acreage in NZ is back a little in the yellows by 348 hectares ( total 4,042 Hectares) or -8 % and the red acreage is up 89 hectares (total 650.2 Hectares) or +15 % .
It is to early to make any call on Quality or final Yields but given optimum condition’s we should have a normal crop available for export.
We recently hosted Ina Jansen (an Acquaintance to Gills Onions) and her friends from Germany Ina is from Zwiebel Jansen Gmbh of Harverslohe 31 in Germany an Onion Processor mainly involved with Peeled Onions that they process themselves.
