In many places, Swiss onion shelves are mainly stocked with imported produce – the onions currently available come from the Netherlands, Denmark, or France. "Last year's harvest was difficult, with low volumes and very mixed storage quality," explains Markus Waber, deputy director of the Swiss Vegetable Growers Association (VSGP), confirming the observation that Swiss onions are currently almost unavailable.
Due to wet conditions during storage and disease pressure (especially from downy mildew), many onions had to be dried and sorted at great expense, which resulted in significant additional costs for producers and packing companies. And despite all efforts, rot spread in the warehouses. "As a result, the borders had to be opened before the cultivation phase due to low stock levels," said Waber. Although small quantities were still available, "it can nevertheless be said that the warehouses were largely depleted at an early stage."
The new harvest is now imminent, and the initial yield forecasts are consistently positive. "Production for the new season looks more positive than last year," confirms Waber.
Downward trend in Swiss onion cultivation
In the long term, too, imports of onions and shallots have tended to increase in recent years. This is partly due to challenges in local production: on the one hand, there have been several difficult years for onions in terms of weather, and the ban on pesticides has exacerbated the situation for producers, as they have been unable to protect their crops adequately in these years.
According to the Swiss Vegetable Growers Association (VSGP), the fact that fewer and fewer pesticides are being approved is particularly evident in onion cultivation. As a result, emergency approvals – especially for downy mildew – have recently been necessary to save some of the harvest.
Source: lid