This commodity profile was rendered from
knowledge.domain = commodity, key = onion(GDF v2.0, 3536 attributes, 28 sections).Renderer:
commodity_profile_rendererv1.0.0. Source row version:knowledge_forge_gdf_v2.0_export_2026-04-06.
Identity & Botany
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Canonical name | Onion |
| Scientific name | Allium cepa |
| Family / Genus | Amaryllidaceae / Allium |
| Produce category | Allium |
| Produce subcategory | Bulb Vegetable |
| FSMA 204 covered? | No |
| PLU — conventional | 4663 |
| PLU — organic | 94663 |
| AGROVOC URI | c_5369 |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s01_identity. External: FAO AGROVOC.
Varieties
Estimated commercial varieties: 250.
| Variety | Market share | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Granex | 18% | Short-day hybrid, mild sweet flavor, flat-globe shape, low pungency, thin papery skin. Primary sweet onion variety for Vidalia region. Excellent for fresh eating but poor storage. |
| Texas 1015Y | 12% | Short-day sweet onion, jumbo size potential, mild flavor, low sulfur content, globe shape. Bred specifically for Texas spring production. Limited storage capability. |
| Copra | 15% | Long-day storage hybrid, globe shape, excellent storage life (8-10 months), thick brown skin, pungent flavor. Industry standard for long-term storage. Widely adapted. |
| Red Wing | 8% | Long-day red storage onion, globe shape, deep red color, firm bulbs, good storage (6-8 months). Excellent color retention and ring definition. |
| Candy | 9% | Short-day sweet hybrid, jumbo size, exceptional sweetness (high Brix 12-14), golden color, globe shape. Popular sweet onion for spring markets. |
| Patterson | 7% | Intermediate-day storage onion, globe shape, firm bulbs, good storage (5-7 months), amber-brown skin. Versatile for fresh and storage markets. |
| Red Creole | 4% | Short-day heirloom, flat-globe shape, deep purple-red, very pungent, excellent storage for short-day type. Traditional Southern variety, heat tolerant. |
| Walla Walla Sweet | 3.5% | Long-day sweet onion, jumbo size, very mild flavor, thin skin, flattened globe. Limited storage, best fresh. Protected geographic indication variety. |
| Talon | 6% | Long-day storage hybrid, globe shape, thick brown skin, excellent dormancy and storage (8-10 months). Strong disease resistance, particularly to Fusarium. |
| Red Bull | 5.5% | Intermediate-day red onion, globe shape, vibrant red color, good uniformity, moderate storage (4-6 months). Balances color and storage. |
| Highlander | 5% | Long-day storage hybrid, globe shape, very hard bulbs, exceptional storage (10+ months), thick skin. Premium storage variety for wholesale distribution. |
| White Wing | 4% | Long-day white onion, globe shape, bright white skin, good storage for white type (5-7 months), firm bulbs. Premium fresh market white onion. |
| Sedona | 3% | Intermediate-day sweet onion, large size, mild flavor, golden color, good uniformity. Bridges gap between short-day sweets and storage onions. |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s04_varieties.variety_summaries.
Post-Harvest Handling
Temperature
- Chilling injury threshold: null°F.
- Freezing point: 30.6°F. Hard limit.
- Handling urgency: 1 / 5.
Ethylene
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Production class | very_low |
| Production rate (20°C) | 0.2 μL/kg·h typical (0.1–0.3) |
| Sensitivity class | low |
| Sensitivity threshold | 10 ppm |
| Climacteric? | No |
Agent note: Onions are both low ethylene producers and low sensitivity; primary concern is their strong odor emission affecting other produce
Mixed-load compatibility
strong_odor_emitter
Operational flags
- Can be top-iced? No
- Light-sensitive? Yes
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s07_harvest_post_harvest.
Market Intelligence
Demand
Stable with slight decline in per capita consumption (-0.5% annually) offset by population growth. Growing interest in specialty sweet onions and organic options. Foodservice demand recovered post-pandemic to near 2019 levels.
Elasticity
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Price elasticity | -0.65 |
| Income elasticity | 0.15 |
| Organic premium elasticity | -0.85 |
Market share by variety
| Variety | Share |
|---|---|
| Yellow Storage | 68% |
| White | 12% |
| Red | 11% |
| Sweet (Vidalia, Walla Walla, etc.) | 6% |
| Green/Scallions | 3% |
Pack sizes
- 2 lb mesh bag
- 3 lb mesh bag
- 5 lb mesh bag
- 10 lb mesh bag
- 25 lb carton
- 40 lb carton
- 50 lb carton/bag
- 2000 lb bulk bin
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s09_market_intelligence.
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