Hazera is part of the French Groupe Limagrain and is a specialist in the development, production and marketing of onion seeds. Our breeders have been working on strong strains of excellent quality since the 1950s. The proliferation of new, improved onion varieties is a slow process that can sometimes take more than 25 years. Therefore, it is important to have a good idea of what the market needs. What are the trends?

“For years the focus within the company has been on breeding and growing for the local markets, but since 2008, when Hazera was established in its current form, there has been a full global focus,” says Reinout de Heer, Global Product Manager Allium. “Onions are sensitive to day length. The length of the day determines the moment when the onion bulbs. Depending on the day length zone, more or less different varieties are therefore suitable for cultivation; from short-day onions to extra-long-day onions. Due to the global orientation, development programs and knowledge can be combined. This has given a significant boost to the worldwide cultivation, production and sale of high-quality onion seed.”

More sales opportunities
Onions are a daily ingredient in the kitchen for many people around the world. And this despite the fact that an onion is not sold by type in the supermarket. There you simply buy a yellow, white, pink or red onion. However, the variety is important for the producer. Pablo Salgado, Onion Breeder: “The grower focuses on disease resistance, skin quality, firmness and yield. Hazera is constantly innovating in this area to provide the best onion with the highest yield for growers, processors and buyers. An example is the development of varieties suitable for multiple processing options, giving the grower more options in terms of market opportunities.”

Growth
Semiagro, Peru: “The Peruvian onion market has grown thanks to the fantastic collaboration between Semiagro and Hazera. With 17,500 hectares under cultivation, the onion is the largest vegetable in terms of area on the Peruvian market. The national consumption of pink onions accounts for 83% and 17% for the export market. In addition, conditions for the onion grower have improved, domestic and potential export market opportunities for wholesalers have increased and the consumer has access to better quality onions.”

New varieties
Semiagro and Hazera have been working together to develop hybrid onion varieties in Peru for more than two decades. Today, the Sivan F1 is the leading variety on the market and is known throughout the supply chain for its characteristics: excellent post-harvest behavior, good skin firmness, beautiful color and thin neck finish. There are already promising trials for spring onions. Year after year we see new and improved material as a result of 19 years of dedication.”

Harvest by machine
In the segment of yellow-brown short-day onions, the trend is towards more evenly rounded onions. A change that is necessary because manual harvesting and processing is becoming too expensive. Pablo: “By making the onions more uniform and rounder, they are easier to machine harvest and sort. Maintaining and improving properties such as firmness, peel adhesion and disease resistance is very important.”

Dean Pye, Pye Produce harvesting Rhinestone onions in Canterbury 13 March 2019
Copyright photo © Steve McArthur / www.vigour.nz

Golden combination
In New Zealand and the Netherlands, many onions are destined for export. Reinout: “The onions must also remain of high quality during and after transport. Skin strength and hardness are important elements for good quality onions. In addition, the net yield must be good. As a grower, you can get a high yield out of the field, but you end up getting paid for the net yield. Excellent quality and high yield are the golden combination of Hazera.

Rhinestone
Steve McArthur – Vigour, New Zealand: “Ten years ago, the New Zealand onion industry was boosted by the first large-scale cultivation of Dutch-bred Rhinestone onion. The onion yield for growers has increased by more than 10% since then. Rhinestone leads in terms of reliability and quality, not only for growers but also for others in the supply chain such as exporters, packers and retailers.

Listen to local producers
Hazera breeders first listened to local producers. They bred Rhinestone by combining local New Zealand genetics with the best genetics from other regions. The result: a hybrid with geographical adaptability, but also long shelf life, high yield, great taste, good hardness and very good skin strength. New Zealand plays an important role in closing the supply gap between crop years. Shipping onions for a six to ten week journey across the equator requires an onion with many excellent qualities.Rhinestone offers growers the assurance of delivering quality to the other side of the world.

Climate and red onions
Other developments that Hazera is considering in breeding activities are irrigation solutions and red onions. Pablo: “The climate is changing. We carry out tests to be able to react effectively to longer periods of drought or increased rainfall.” Reinout continues: “And the market for red onions is growing. We are expanding our portfolio in all segments. Both in the short day and in the extra long day, for example with our latest introduction – the Redrover variety. This extra-long segment red onion has a long shelf life and is very suitable for use in salads.”