Onions are a food staple because they are a nutrient powerhouse and they flavour food like no other vegetable. Whether raw, sautéed, baked, barbecued or steamed, it would be difficult to imagine the cuisine of any country without them.
Onions are Australia’s fourth largest vegetable crop accounting for 9 per cent of total vegetable production. Australians consume approximately 7.8kg per capita each year.
Across Australia, there are about 300 commercial onion growers.
231,484 tonnes of onions were produced in Australia in 2015 with the total value of production $135.5 million. The wholesale value of the fresh supply was $143.3 million.
Australia is a net exporter of fresh onions. In 2015, Australia exported 39,420 tonnes of fresh onions, with Belgium the biggest importer.