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knowledge.domain = commodity, key = cmd_00206(GDF v2.1.1, ? attributes, 29 sections).Renderer:
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Identity & Botany
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Canonical name | White Onion |
| Scientific name | Allium cepa |
| Family / Genus | Amaryllidaceae / — |
| Produce category | Allium |
| Produce subcategory | Onion |
| FSMA 204 covered? | No |
| PLU — conventional | 4062 |
| PLU — organic | 94062 |
| AGROVOC URI | c_20000 |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s01_identity. External: FAO AGROVOC.
Varieties
Estimated commercial varieties: 75.
| Variety | Market share | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White Sweet Spanish | 28% | Large, globe-shaped, very mild and sweet flavor with a crisp texture. Excellent for slicing and fresh use. Intermediate-day onion. |
| Super Star | 22% | Early maturing, medium-large, globe-shaped, exceptionally mild and sweet. Highly favored for fresh market consumption. Short-day to intermediate-day. |
| Sierra Blanca | 18% | Medium to large, firm, globe-shaped with good pungency for a white onion. Known for good yields and adaptability, popular in Western US. Intermediate-day. |
| White Grano | 12% | Flat-globe shape, very mild and sweet, early maturity. A classic short-day onion, excellent for fresh market in Southern US. |
| White Bermuda | 7% | Flat, small to medium-sized, very mild, sweet, and thin-skinned. An early maturing, classic Southern onion. |
| White Comet | 5% | Early maturing, medium-sized, globe-shaped with a mild flavor. Good for fresh market and early season production. |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s04_varieties.variety_summaries.
Post-Harvest Handling
Temperature
- Chilling injury threshold: null°F.
- Freezing point: 30.4°F. Hard limit.
- Handling urgency: 2 / 5.
Ethylene
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Production class | very_low |
| Production rate (20°C) | 0.03 uL/kg/h typical (0.01–0.05) |
| Sensitivity class | very_low |
| Sensitivity threshold | null ppm |
| Climacteric? | No |
Agent note: Onions are non-climacteric and produce very little ethylene. They are also not sensitive to external ethylene, but their strong odor can affect other commodities.
Mixed-load compatibility
Odor emitters (Group 4)
Operational flags
- Can be top-iced? No
- Light-sensitive? No
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s07_harvest_post_harvest.
Market Intelligence
Demand
Stable to slightly increasing, driven by culinary versatility and ethnic cuisine.
Elasticity
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Price elasticity | -0.6 |
| Income elasticity | 0.2 |
| Organic premium elasticity | -1 |
Market share by variety
| Variety | Share |
|---|---|
| White Onion | 7% |
| Yellow Onion | 83% |
| Red Onion | 10% |
Pack sizes
- 50 lb sacks
- 25 lb sacks
- 10 lb bags
- 5 lb bags
- 3 lb bags
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s09_market_intelligence.
Rendered by commodity_profile_renderer v1.0.0 on 2026-05-15T23:50:00.000Z.