the secret of the Golden Onion

With a weekly capacity of 40.000 (metric) tons of export volume, the Dutch onion is the equivalent of a passionate commercial spirit. The fact that the Dutch are viewed across the world as reliable business partners can be traced back directly to our important ancestors; the Dutch merchants of the Golden Age. Fearless pioneers, who managed to dominate the world seas through courage, audacity and cleverness. Of course there are black pages in our history as well stemming from those times, but the brave characters, the determination and the business instinct formed the blocks on which our country was built. Even back then they valued the importance of high-quality agriculture. After all, a fast growing population must be supplied with good and healthy food.

Doubled world production
And this is still the case moving forward into the future. Considering that there will be 10 billion people to feed in 2050, and that the average consumption right now is 5 kilograms of onions per capita, this means that the current world production would almost have to double in the next 30 years.

100.000 kilograms on one hectare
High-quality arable farming is therefore still an important foundation for the export success of the Holland Onion. Our farmers grow an average of 55.000 to 60.000 kilograms of quality onions on one hectare of arable land, with peaks sometimes exceeding 100.000 kilograms! In other large onion producing countries such as for example India, the yield is at most one fifth of this and a lot of food is lost due to inefficiency in the chain and a lower quality!

Synchromodal transport
And of course the Netherlands was and is blessed with a very fine geographical position within Europe. But this position first had to be exploited of course. And this too required some of the elements of the Dutch commercial spirit. Even long after the 17th century the international trade was constantly stimulated by taking care of the infrastructure and countless polders were reclaimed from the sea. The construction of efficient inland waterways such as the Nieuwe Waterweg (1872), the North Sea Canal (1876) and the Merwede Canal (1892) are fine examples. Once more these canals play a key role in the synchromodal transport concept of Holland Onions.

Golden Age mentality
So really that is how it was and still is to this day. Our Golden Age mentality continues to serve us. The Netherlands benefits from its onion trade and facilitates it through excellent land, water and port connections, efficient customs authorities and world-class logistical service providers. And the Dutch onion chain is constantly looking for ways to save costs and grow a high-quality export onion.