Spanish growers of early onions are currently in a quandary. Nobody is buying their produce. Or, if a buyer comes along, the price offered does not even cover the cost price.

An association representing Spanish farmers stresses that this is further evidence of the inefficiency of the Food Chain Act, which is called into question every time an agricultural product is placed in a problematic market situation.

What is the problem? The main problem – overproduction due to lack of market regulation tools. At the moment the Spanish markets are full of imported onions from countries as far away as Chile, Senegal and Peru, so that the supermarkets are sufficiently full of cheaper foreign produce.

„So Spanish farmers who have produced high quality onions are today unable to sell them at competitive prices. Farmers insist not only on the protection of the internal market, but also on the promotion of national products in the country. After all, local production ensures a lower carbon footprint, better quality, rural viability, product traceability and safety. It is important to know the origin of the product, which must be clearly indicated on the packaging, and during the season, only locally sourced produce must be on the shelves," says the Spanish farmer representative.