According to analysts Eastfruit, in the first four months of 2020, Russia imported already 78 thousand tons of onions, which is 20% more than on the same date last year. This is also the largest volume of onion imports to Russia for such a period since 2017. One of the reasons for the increase in onion imports, according to market experts, is the increased consumption of the product by the population, as many believe that onions and garlic help fight coronavirus.
Egypt continues to be the main supplier of onions in the first months of the calendar year to Russia. In 2020, the volume of supplies of Egyptian onions to the Russian market doubled in relation to 2019 and reached 42 thousand tons. Thus, Egypt accounted for 54% of all onions imported into Russia.
Also, direct deliveries of onions to Russia from the Netherlands, which took second place in the rating of suppliers, increased by more than one and a half times. But China has cut supplies by almost half during the same period. Kazakhstan supplied about 7,3 thousand tons of onions, which approximately corresponded to the volume of last year, while Uzbekistan's onion export to Russia decreased by 37% - to 4,8 thousand tons.
EastFruit experts note that as of mid-June 2020, onion prices in Russia were higher than last year by an average of 59%. At the same time, imported onions from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and other supplier countries dominated the market. Similar price trends were characteristic of many countries in the region, as onion consumption increased.