Onions are a European commodity, and borders do not stop them. We grow around 250 hectares of onions in the Żuławy region and talk to wholesale buyers from Poland and abroad. From our perspective, buyers most often ask for product from Germany and the Netherlands, each for a different reason. In this post we gather in one place what buyers from these markets expect from a supplier, and show how we meet those expectations on our farm.
Why Germany and the Netherlands buy Polish onions
From what we see, Germany regularly buys onions from abroad because domestic production does not cover all demand, so trade and processing are constantly looking for produce from neighbouring countries. The Netherlands plays a different role. It is Europe's onion trading hub: Dutch packing plants and exporters grade, pack and ship onions all over the world, and they are happy to buy in raw material, including from Poland.
The 2025 season showed how this market behaves under pressure. With large onion surpluses across Europe, the result came down not to volume alone but to quality, grading and the ability to deliver an even product on time. That is why it pays to know export buyers' requirements before the conversation even starts.
What an export buyer expects: in brief
| Requirement | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Certificates | GlobalG.A.P. and GRASP as the entry ticket, further standards depending on the channel |
| Lot safety | testing for pesticide residues, heavy metals and hazardous substances |
| Even sizing | a fraction matched to the buyer's packing or processing line |
| Healthy, dry skin | the produce must withstand transport and further storage at the buyer's site |
| Continuity of supply | a schedule spanning months, not one-off spot lots |
| Documentation | traceability of each lot from field to loading |
Certificates and testing: this is where the conversation starts
A buyer from Germany or the Netherlands does not look at the field. They look at the documents. We run the farm with GlobalG.A.P., GRASP, FSA Gold (Farm Sustainability Assessment, the highest sustainability rating level) and GMP+ certification, following the principles of Integrated Plant Production. We produce using pesticide-residue-free technology, and we test every lot for pesticide residues, heavy metals and substances harmful to health.
For the buyer this is not a formality but the foundation: without these papers, produce will not get into an audited packing plant. How audits work in the practice of trade is covered in our post on whether retail chains require GlobalG.A.P.
Sizing matched to the buyer's line, not "more or less"
An export packing plant orders a specific fraction for its line and its packaging. An even product means less waste, fewer stoppages and no complaints. Our grading is handled by the DOWNS CropVision optical sorter: cameras and AI scan every onion through 360 degrees and reject defects at up to 100 tonnes per hour. Which fractions suit which applications is something we break down in our post on onion sizes for processing.
Deliveries all year round, not just after harvest
An export buyer rarely buys a single lot. They build a schedule spanning months and need a supplier who will deliver in February and May as well. We have storage for around 13,000 tonnes and onions available all year round: from sets from early summer, from spring sowing from late summer, and from storage through autumn, winter and spring. How we spread sales over time is shown in our post on how we manage sales from storage.
Our vegetables go to market leaders such as Onix, Farm Frites and FreshPol, partners supplying the largest retail chains and processing plants in Poland and Europe. Working with buyers like these is daily training in the same requirements that apply in export.
Soil like the Dutch polders
A Dutch buyer knows the value of polder soil. Żuławy is the delta of the Vistula river: heavy, humus-rich alluvial soils with parameters comparable to the Dutch polders. On land like this, onions build a firm, well-coloured skin and a yield of around 60 tonnes per hectare. Why these alluvial soils deliver such results is explained in our post on Żuławy soils for onion growing.
Logistics and packaging for dispatch
We ship onions loose, in big bags and in net bags on pallets, depending on the buyer's process. They are packed by an automated line with a palletiser, so we load trucks quickly and consistently. We are located in Żuławy, near the Tricity, with good access to routes towards western Europe. For the buyer this means a short, predictable chain: from our storage straight to their loading dock.
How we start an export partnership
We start with the parameters: size, class, packaging form, volume and delivery schedule. We calculate the price from current market prices and the parameters of the order. You will find full details of our onions in our onion offer, and we describe step by step how wholesale cooperation works in our post for wholesale onion buyers.
Buying onions for Germany, the Netherlands or another European market? Write to us through our contact page and we will reply with specifics for the parameters of your order.
