Sweet onion supply tightens for large sizes
Peru’s onion season may present a challenge — at least in the short term — for retailers who prefer bulk displays of larger-sized onions.
“What is being shipped to the U.S. market is excellent quality, but size will continue to be an issue,” Barry Rogers, president of Sweet Onion Trading Co., Grant, Fla., said. “We could have as many as 60% mediums. In a normal year that percentage is 20% or less.”
Walt Dasher, co-owner of G&R Farms, Glennville, Ga., said the fields he visited Aug. 26-27 in Peru had 25% to 35% mediums.
“We normally see 10% to 15% mediums and 70% to 80% jumbos and 10% colossals, but that will not be the case at the moment,” Dasher said.
The issue is a fungus that prevents onions from fully developing.
John Williams, director of sales and marketing for L.G. Herndon Jr. Farms Inc., Lyons, Ga., said the disease doesn’t affect the quality of the bulb, but it does stymie the growing process.
“It doesn’t mean we’ll have less onions, but it will affect sizing and tonnage,” he said.
Williams said Herndon Farms will be encouraging retailers to promote consumer packs with medium-sized onions.
“Getting your hands on medium Peru onions isn’t going to be hard at all,” he said.
Williams said sizing likely will improve as the season progresses. Fungus has been an issue in Ica, which is the country’s early growing region. The problem has not been detected in Arequipa, which will provide late-season supplies in December and January. Williams also said growers will transplant to extend the season in Ica, and that weather there likely will change. Humidity contributed to the fungus problem early in the season.
“I think we’ll have a good marketable crop, but we’ll have lots of mediums early,” he said. “Jumbos and colossals will be tighter.”
Marty Kamer, president of Keystone Fruit Marketing, Greencastle, Pa., said that increased demand for sweet onions has led many retailers to carry bulk jumbo sweet onions as well as consumer bags of medium sweets.
“End caps, stand-alones, value-added product offerings, multi-size strategies and consumer bagged displays offer consumers multiple buying options and ensure sales lift,” Kamer said.
