Surging demand from Asia is driving record exports of New Zealand onions, the Onions New Zealand industry group said Friday. Seventy-five percent of this season's crop had been shipped abroad and export returns were expected to be up 50 percent year on year to 125 million NZ dollars (85.02 million U.S. dollars), chief executive Michael Ahern said in a statement.
"This forecasted result will re-assert onions' position as the third largest fresh horticulture export item after kiwifruit and pipfruit," said Ahern.
New Zealand exported onions to 45 markets worldwide and was the number one supplier from the southern hemisphere to continental Europe, which accounted for 48 percent of exports. In recent years, the industry had balanced this trade with Asia, said Ahern. In 2008, Asian markets accounted for 12 percent of total exports and this year they were expected to take 41 percent.
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