Swiss onion growers complain about poor weather and pests

Climate and lack of pesticides affect the onion Keystone-SDA

The 2024 onion harvest was meagre due to lower yields per hectare.

In mid-October, 15,500 tonnes of onions were in storage. This is well below the 2020 and 2022 figures of over 20,000 tonnes. Yields per hectare are trending downwards, Matija Nuic, director of the Association of Swiss Vegetable Producers, told the Agricultural Information Service on Monday. About 40% of the Swiss onion crop is grown in the Bernese Seeland. Other growing areas are in St. Gallen and Vaud.

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The heavy rainfall was the biggest challenge. Fungal diseases attacked the onions and spread in the damp environment. This also impairs the storage life. According to Nuic, it is uncertain how the onions will keep.

A lack of suitable plant protection products is causing headaches for the industry. According to the information provided, crops can no longer be adequately protected. New active ingredients are not available in time due to the lengthy approval procedures and administrative hurdles, according to the association’s magazine Der Gemüsebau.

The information on the state of the onion crop coincided with the traditional Zibelemärit onion festival that began in Bern on Monday morning. Tens of thousands of visitors are expected to attend.

Adapted from German by DeepL/ac

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