Eye-watering prices: New Zealand in the midst of great onion shortage

Poor weather has contributed to the nationwide shortage of onions, leading to a large increase in prices. Photo / Duncan Brown

One of the staple condiments of the Kiwi barbecue will be harder to source this summer after a national shortage has resulted in eye-watering onion prices.

Figures from Stats NZ last week show brown onions are about 72 cents per kg more than at this time last year, with red onions even dearer.

Fruit and vegetable prices have also jumped 17 percent more than last year.

Lance Roper, founder of Roper & Son Limited, who usually produces between 500-800 tonnes of peeled red onions a year said the weather has played a massive part in New Zealand’s onion shortage.

“Because of the weather we have had in the last 8-12 months, the onions didn’t grow as well as they could’ve which made it difficult to harvest quality onions,” he said.

Roper says this has significantly affected their business financially.

“We’re into our importing season at the moment and we have had to order a lot more from the United States than we usually do,” said Roper.

Roper says there will be new onion seeds in New Zealand come December but there will be no volume until halfway through January.

The Canterbury region tends to flourish almost two months later than Pukekohe, says Roper.

New Zealand's great onion shortage has reached fast food chain KFC. Photo / Supplied

A KFC store in Hastings attached a sign to their door informing red onion lovers that due to the nationwide shortage, some burgers may not contain any.