Onion harvest begins in the valley
Malheur County produces more onions than Idaho
By Larry Meyer
Argus Observer
Saturday, August 15, 2009 9:40 PM PDT
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| Larry Meyer | Argus Observer
The onion harvest has started on Kamashige Farms near Ontario. Brian Kamashige is driving the tractor. Onions are a huge crop in Malheur County, which has the largest onion acreage of any county in the United States. |
ONTARIO—Onion harvest in Malheur County is a big deal.
And it should be.
After all, Malheur County boats more onion acreage — especially dry onions — than any other county in the United States.
According to the 2007 Census of Agriculture, Malheur County devotes more than 13,000 acres to growing dry onions, as reported in the Eastern Oregon Employment newsletter prepared by Jason Yohannan, a regional economist in La Grande.
“Those pungent bulbs definitely play a substantial role in the local economy,” Yohannan said.
Lynn Jensen, row crop extension agent, confirmed Malheur County’s No. 1 status.
“The county grows more onions than the state of Idaho,” he said. “Onions have filled in the gap, as we have lost sugar beets and potatoes.”
Still, the emphasis on onions does present some challenges.
For one, the amount of onion acreage means there is a highly concentrated production area, which can be more conducive to the spread of thrips and iris yellow spot virus, Jensen said, with onion fields closer together.
So far, the onion harvest is going well, Jensen said.
“Things look pretty good,” Jensen said, Friday. “It’s been a good growing season. There was not a large amount of hot days. We have some nice onions.”
The onion crop in California, which is a major supplier of onions in July and August, was not as large as expected, so there is a demand for onions right now and buyers are calling for product, he said.
“Sheds need to get going,” Jensen said.
Prices have been good so far because there is a demand for onions, Jensen said.
“Hopefully, that will hold as we get into volume,” he said.
Another possible positive is that there may be more onions shipped overseas, he said, quoting some reports he has received.
“They are trying for the early market,” Nyssa farmer and president of the Malheur Onion Growers Reid Saito said of the early harvesters. “They should do pretty well.”
“The onion market is pretty decent,” Saito continued. “There is a good demand for new crop (onions).”
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