Product Group > Alliums
Overview
The Alliums Crop Advisory Group represents the interests of garlic, leek, onion, shallot, and spring onion growers.
Of this group, onions are the largest volume crop grown. The onion industry has grown rapidly with major production now occurring in Pukekohe followed by Canterbury, Hawkes Bay, Manawatu and Horowhenua.
Onions are New Zealand's third largest horticultural export. They are a bulk commodity item and exports amount to around 156,000 tonnes, which was valued at over $76m in 2006. Onions are harvested from January to March and, unlike many horticultural products, have a good storage life. This means that they are sea freighted and shipments leave New Zealand over a seven month period.
Onions are exported to over 20 countries. The European Union is the most important market taking almost 90,000 tonnes or 57% of onions exported from NZ in 2006. Other important markets are Japan (12%), Fiji (5%) and Indonesia (5%).
Garlic exports were valued at $1 million in 2006, almost all going to Pacific Islands and Australia.
Issues
Iris yellow spot virus: IYSV is a series disease of onions affecting the ability of the plant to set seed. The virus is present in the USA and has more recently been recorded in Australia - both are countries from where onions are imported into New Zealand. The virus is transmitted by thrips which could potentially enter New Zealand associated with onion bulb imports.
Onions NZ and the Fresh Vegetable Product Group have commissioned a risk assessment to ensure that the risk management systems in place are sufficient to ensure IYSV does not enter New Zealand. The outcomes of the risk assessment will be published on the website when completed.
Fresh Onions from China: The Fresh Vegetable Product Group of Horticulture New Zealand submission (30 July 2009) on the "Draft Import Risk Analysis: Onion (Allium cepa Liliaceae) Fresh Bulbs for Consumption from China" can be downloaded by clicking here.
The process from here will be:
- Consideration of the submissions on the Draft Import Risk Assessment
- Publication of the final IRA and a submission document. (We don't know the timeframe on this - its not set other than that there are set timeframes for the FTA work as we understand it.)
- Then the Import Health Standard will be issued - probably in draft form for comment and then finalised.
- Following release of the final IHS trade can begin.
Statistics (2006)
Alliums Overview
 | Onions | | Garlic | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| 135 | 28 | |||
| Area planted | 4,855 hectares | 268 hectares | |||
| Production | 210,000 tonnes | 1,427 tonnes | |||
| Exports | $77 million | $0.8 million |
Allium Exports (year ending June, tonnes and $NZ FOB)
| 2005 | 2006 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onions | | | Volume | Value | Volume | Value | |
|
| 163,726 | 61,613,653 | 156,546 | 77,749,765 | |||
| Garlic | - | 555,011 | - | 750,306 | |||
| Shallots | - | 241,154 | - | 332,968 | |||
| Leeks | - | 158,638 | - | 153,457 | |||
Onion Export Markets (greater than $1 million FOB value)
| 2005 | 2010 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onions | | Volume | Value | Volume | Value | |||
|
| 81,461 | 33,212,248 | 96,776 | 55,289,766 | ||||
| Japan | 41,993 | 15,637,828 | 22,604 | 15,282,424 | ||||
| Indonesia | 7,232 | 1,721,790 | 13,231 | 8,888,480 | ||||
| Malaysia | 5,146 | 1,196,458 | 12,824 | 8,719,574 | ||||
| Fiji | 7,954 | 2,433,482 | 7,641 | 5,306,677 | ||||
Norway | 1,260 | 836,916 | 3,319 | 2,290,017 | ||||
Taiwan | 2,938 | 1,138,330 | 2,869 | 2,144,512 | ||||
Pacific Islands | 3,023 | 1,088,892 | 2,869 | 2,048,434 | ||||
Australia | | 583 | 236,937 | | 2,499 | 1,876,758 | | |
Hong Kong | 3,988 | 1,311,410 | 1,939 | 1,265,407 | ||||
Source: Statistics New Zealand
