News and Stories

The Northwest onion season in Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and Washington is forecast to run through April. While excessive heat and rain during the summer growing period decreased the quality of this year’s crop, Markon does not foresee a supply gap as growers transition to Texas in early April and California in late April. If there are any supply challenges, red onions will become limited the month of April during the transition. 

Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and Washington

• Markon First Crop (MFC) Onions will start to diminish during the month of April
• The majority of yellow and red onion shipments will wrap up April 15; limited quantities will remain on the market through late April
• The white onion season will wind down as early as mid-March, but some sheds will carry stocks through mid-April
• Current volume is approximately 15% below last year’s
• Hot, rainy summer weather during the 2015 growing season is keeping storage supplies tighter than normal
• While a large proportion of the crop continues to be of good quality and adequate size, there are more problems than in years past, particularly with red varieties
• Expect steady to slightly higher price levels through the rest of the season
• Red and white onion stocks will tighten in late March/early April
• Prices will rise at a much faster rate than the yellow market, as volume is lower

Mexico

• Limited quantities of packer label sweet onion stocks are available
• Mexico’s domestic market remains strong
• Growers are not shipping that many onions into the U.S.
• Prices remain high  
• Expect red onions to become available February 18
• There are very few white onions on the marketplace now
• Supplies will increase over the next several weeks
• Stocks will be on the market through March
• Spring onions of all colors will have feathery skins and light color/exterior skin compared to Northwest storage onions
• Overall acreage is comparable to recent seasons

South Texas

• MFC Yellow Onions are expected to hit the market the week of April 4; red and white onion stocks will follow two weeks later
• Early estimates indicate planted acreage is approximately 20% lower compared to last year; this continues to be a year-over-year trend
• Texas-grown onion stocks will be available through May

California

• MFC Yellow Onions will become available the week of April 25; MFC Red Onions will hit the market  the week of May 2
• Southern California plantings have begun; acreage is comparable to previous years
• The region is experiencing ideal weather conditions; crop growth is ahead of schedule
  

New Mexico

• MFC Onions are forecast to become available the week of June 6
• Markon will update overall acreage levels in the upcoming weeks    

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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