Weather Plays Havoc on Onion Industry

In Southwest Idaho's Treasure Valley and across the border into Eastern Oregon, recent winter storms caused approximately 20 to 30 onion storage and packing facilities roofs to collapse. That has affected about 25 percent of the region's total onion processing capacity.

Four Rivers Onion Packing Plant in Weiser, Idaho, was one of the facilities to experience roof damage. They lost about 25 percent of one of their packing line facilities' roof Sales and Operations Manager Ken Stewart says that between the packing line buildings and storage facilities roof damages across the region, it has had an effect on onion availability.

Stewart: "We've truly lost a fair number of the onion supplies, plus the valley has lost the a few places that don't have the ability to pack anymore. So the onion market is reacting to this as well as the market was depressed and starting coming that way. And then the weather in general has made it very difficult to get out the volume that the county needs this time of year."

Some media reports stated that this market disruption had caused prices of a 50-pound bag of yellow jumbo onions to go from $3.50 to $6.50. Stewart addresses that claim by first stating that the quoted $3.50 was a deflated price — he continues with what onion prices are currently.

Stewart: "The average price of onions this time of year is closer to $6.50 to $7. The market had already started to come up and the market has gone well past $6.50. We don't have onions we're selling today but our neighbors from what I understand are mostly $10 and more."