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by Gijsbrecht Gunter, chairman of the Holland Onion Association

With its healthy, round shape and bronze-colored tunic, the Holland Onion travels the world undaunted. Not a glamorous vegetable, but a primary food source for billions of people in dozens of countries. Transport takes place overseas, in refrigerated containers that would otherwise often return empty to their countries of origin. This cleverly utilizes existing return logistics flows, which is not only efficient but also contributes to a smaller ecological footprint.

Only five percent of our Dutch onions end up on Dutch plates. The rest—twenty times as many—travels to some 130 countries worldwide. That may sound like food miles without morals, but if you look a little further than the container door, you'll see a different reality.

Globally, the situation is precisely the opposite: of the one hundred billion kilos of onions grown annually, 92 percent remains within the country's own borders. Local for local, in other words. Only 8 percent is exported—and that export isn't an excess, but a dire necessity. In many countries, locally grown onions have a short shelf life due to climate and day length. These climate-specific characteristics of the onion mean frequent periods without local harvests in many countries—and therefore without a staple food source.

It is precisely there that the Dutch long-day onion proves its worth. Our firm, long-lasting onion with its characteristic flavor is unique. It thrives only in a narrow zone on earth—between Denmark and Paris—where the late spring and summer days are long enough to develop its robust qualities. In the Southern Hemisphere, these climate zones lie in the middle of the ocean; production there is simply impossible.

So the Netherlands isn't exporting an unnecessary luxury product, but rather helping to fill gaps in the global food supply. This is done through customized solutions, in consultation, and with respect for local markets. Take Senegal: imports are only permitted there once the domestic harvest has been sold, and import licenses are only issued to importers who market local produce when it's available. Moreover, the Netherlands contributes through knowledge sharing, logistical collaboration, and storage techniques. And what about the millions of euros in import duties paid to the governments in those countries?

So yes, the Holland Onion is a hero, without boasting, but with a positive global impact. An essential vegetable with a nutritious role in the daily diet, connecting markets and contributing to global food security—at a reasonable price and with a low ecological footprint. That is the humble triumph of the Dutch onion.

Find out how the Dutch onion turned into a globetrotter in the epic finale of The Fellowship of the Holland Onion, Part 7 – The Exporting Season.