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By John Harris
Onion Market Update March 3, 2026
I probably need to apologize for how long it’s been since the last update. We’re already into March, and there’s quite a bit going on, so it’s time.
On storage crop — there are still plenty of onions to move. Some shippers are pushing to be wrapped up by the end of March, while just as many will stretch into May and even June. That’s all pretty normal for this time of year.
Storage quality, however, has had its challenges. Unseasonably warm temperatures across the Northwest made for tough storage conditions, especially for anyone without cold units. That hasn’t helped quality at this stage of the season, and some buildings probably need to be emptied sooner rather than later. It does feel like we’re seeing poor-quality claims a little more frequently right now.
Since I’m the one writing this, I’m going to step on the soapbox for a minute about translucent onion claims. Here’s the deal — storage onions are going to have some pressure bruising and some translucency this time of year, no matter who you buy from or where they’re grown. That’s just part of it. If the onion is soft, that’s a legitimate complaint. If it’s firm, I don’t believe translucency alone should be considered a valid defect. A firm onion with some translucent scales is perfectly fine. This one drives me nuts every year, and no amount of education seems to change it.
Rant over.
We’ve still got a couple months of storage crop before things really wind down.
Now, on to new crop. Both Mexican and Texas new crop onions are available. Texas has been going for about two weeks now, along with steady supplies out of Mexico. I honestly can’t remember a Texas crop starting this early and being ready like this. The upside is that if you prefer to avoid Mexican product, you’ve got options right now.
Quality on both Texas and Mexican onions has been very good so far. That said, Mexico seems a bit short on size this year. Colossals are harder to find than usual, and there are more mediums in the mix. Texas should help fill that size gap as harvest progresses, and their season should run into May. The Imperial Valley, Calif. crop is looking to be about two weeks early and will likely start around mid-April.
As far as pricing goes — this is just my personal opinion. I don’t see a lot of reason for the yellow market to get significantly stronger over the next two months. May is probably the first real opportunity for measurable movement. Whites had been strong and are a little tougher at the moment, but I’m more optimistic about that market picking up in the next month or so as storage supplies taper off. Reds feel similar to yellows — there’s plenty between storage and new crop, and I don’t see much of a window for movement before May.
Looking a bit further out, I do think that once we get into May, we’ll see markets firm up across all colors and likely stay that way through the end of July and into early August.
As always, I appreciate comments — whether you agree with me or not. Have a great week, and I’ll do my best to be more consistent about getting these updates out.
Editors Note: John Harris is the president and founder of Paradigm Fresh and Colorado Cold Connect in Fort Morgan, Colorado. He can be reached at John@paradigmfresh.com.