Onion crops are seeded during the New Zealand winter. Depending on the variety, onion planting can start as early as May in the North Island. By September all of the onion seed in New Zealand is in the ground. It takes between 7 and 9 months of growing to become an onion bulb which is ready for harvest.During the growing process, the onion crops are closely monitored to ensure the plants are receiving all the right nutrients and water to grow the best quality onions for our domestic and international markets.
Crops are grown using IPM (Integrated Pest Management) principles and inspected frequently for signs of pest and diseases. Threats to the quality of the onion crop are dealt with swiftly to ensure minimal impact.
Designer
Project Manager
CEO
Once the onion bulbs are ready for harvest, the green tops and the roots of the onion plant are cut either mechanically or by hand clipping, depending on customer requirements and equipment available to the grower. During this process the onion bulbs are lifted from the soil and laid in rows on top of the bed to dry in the sun, this creates the dry skins that protect the onion.Once dry, bulbs can be mechanically lifted from the bed into bins for transportation to the pack-house, where they are stored and graded.
Designer
Project Manager
CEO
Onions are transported from the field to the packhouse in wooden bins or bulk trailers…more info
Onions are held in field bins after harvest for a minimum of 10 days to continue the natural cure process…more info
It’s not just New Zealanders who love our onions for their flavour, quality, and longevity - our onions are exported to onion lovers all over the world.
When an order comes in, onions are packaged into the appropriate form for each market….more info
To keep our New Zealand grown onions beautifully fresh, most onions are shipped in ambient air temperature containers…more info
At the destination port, containers are unloaded from the container ship and transported by road directly to packhouses for unloading, storage and repacking…more info
Got a query? We’d love to help. Provide your details below and we’ll get in touch soon.
