"This year, Argentina's onion harvest has started with many complications. Weather changes have caused irremediable diseases; excess water has resulted in the inside of the onions looking stained and damaged, and this is a problem we cannot solve," confirms the representative of the Argentinian company ADR Agrícola, Alejandro Rodríguez.
The harvest kicked off in recent weeks and the product's marketing is gradually starting. As this process continues, it will become possible to determine the percentage of the production that has been damaged by these weather conditions. "The loss in yields has been estimated to be very high this year, and this will result in an inevitable rise in prices. Also, it is worth taking into account that the flow of exports depends entirely on the situation in the domestic market," affirms the spokesperson of ADR Agrícola.
The demand for pink onion, the most exported by Argentina, remains stable, especially in markets like Brazil and Europe. Although the current inflation should take a considerably toll on exports, currently this market has not been affected directly.
"Right now, it is still too early for an accurate forecast, although we believe that both demand and prices will be satisfactory, since there are new buyers for our onions. But we still need to determine the actual extent of the losses for damages caused by the weather, and we are still convulsed with the economic situation in our country. Everything is being rearranged, and this takes time," concludes Rodríguez.
In mid-April, the prospects for Argentinian onions this year should become much clearer.
