onions.com.au

According to Ausveg, onions are Australia's 8th largest vegetable crop, accounting for nearly 6% of total vegetable production with a value of $154 million in 2005/06. Tasmania(30%) and South Australia(38%) dominate production. In 2006, The total produced was over 229,000 tonnes from 4657 hectares. Average yield per hectare was just over 49 tonnes.

Australia imports some dried and fresh onions with the majority coming for the USA. Australia does however export many more onions than it imports, with the majority going to European countries. Most of the onions grown are used fresh but there is a dehydrated and a frozen segment.

On average, a person eats about 9kg of onions per year. This may be declinig as in recent years diets lower in carbohydrates have become popular.

Onions can be grown in a wide range of soil type but prefer deep, well drained soils. The most important climatic condition is day length. which is why the choice of which variety in which region is a very important factor.