China’s main onion producing areas include Yunnan, Henan, Shandong and Gansu. Among them, Yunnan onions are the earliest to be available, from early March to late April; Henan onions are available from mid-April to mid-May; Shandong onions are available from mid-June to mid-July; Gansu onions are available from late July to the end of February of the following year, almost guaranteeing year-round supply.
February to June is usually the peak season for onion exports. Peeled frozen onions are mainly shipped to the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, with an average weekly export volume of about 10 containers.
The current ocean freight price to Europe is between $1,700 and $1,900 per container, which is relatively low compared to previous years. This cost advantage has significantly enhanced the competitiveness of Chinese exporters and supported the expansion of the European market
Different markets have different preferences for onions. Peeled yellow and red onions are in high demand in Southeast Asia, while the European market prefers value-added products such as peeled onions, onion slices and onion dices, which can be used directly without further processing. These products are highly competitive due to China's relatively low labor costs. In addition to onions, ginger and garlic are also key products to supplement its product portfolio in the global agricultural market.
