Onion Production
Dry
onions are a crop that lend themselves well to smallscale
and part-time farming operations. Multiple markets
exist for growers with small acreage (0.5 to 5), and the
various colors and types of mature bulbs (red, yellow, and
white) allow growers to find their market niche. The term
dry onion is used to distinguish them from green onions,
which are pulled while the tops are still green and usually
before a large bulb has formed.
Many field operations, such as land preparation,
planting, and harvesting, can be custom hired, and
most of the equipment can be used for other
purposes.
The common dry onion (Allium cepa), a member of the
Amaryllidaceae family, originated in mid-Asia in what is now
northwestern India, Afghanistan, Tajik, and Uzbek. It was
reported in the 16th century that onions were the most
common vegetables. They occurred in red and white varieties
and were sweet, strong, or intermediate in flavor.
The onion was introduced by the Spanish into the West Indies soon after their discovery. From there, onions were spread to all parts of the Americas and grown by the earliest colonists and soon afterward by native Americans. Relatives of onions include garlic, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and shallots.
Most of the onions harvested in the U.S.
are sold as fresh produce. In 1998, the U.S.
produced 166,000 acres of onions with a value of
$826 million. (USDA Statistical Services bases
value of production on total acres harvested times
average price.) Pennsylvania produced 600 acres, valued at
$6 million.
Marketing
Fresh market onions are available in Pennsylvania from the first of July to the end of October. They are traditionally sold loose in bulk containers. Four basic marketing alternatives are available to the onion grower: wholesale markets, cooperatives, local retailers, and roadside stands.
In wholesale marketing, producers often
contract with shippers to market and ship the
onions for a predetermined price. If you do not
use a contractor and ship your onions to a
wholesale market yourself, your product will be subject to
the greatest price fluctuations. Marketing cooperatives
generally use a daily pooled cost and price, which spreads
price fluctuations over all participating producers.
Local retailers are another possible market, but you must take the time to contact produce managers and provide good-quality onions when stores require them. Roadside stands (either your own or another grower’s) and pick-your-own operations provide opportunities to receive higher than wholesale prices for your onions, but you may have some additional expenses for advertising, building and maintaining a facility, and providing service to your customers.
With pick-yourown operations, you save on harvest
costs, but you must be willing to accept some
waste. Depending on your location, processors may
or may not be a marketing option.
This publication was developed by the Small-Scale and
Part-Time Farming Project at Penn State with support from
the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Extension Service.
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