The World Allium Association: World Onion Congress 2001

This was the official website of the World Allium Association. It was built in 1999. The association was based in the Netherlands. It also dispensed information regarding the 2000 Exhibitors World Onion Congress & Trade Show and announced the cancelation of its 2001 trade show.

Eventually the site's domain registration expired and the site disappeared from the web. I recently bought the domain and decided to recreate part of the site from its is 2000-2001 archived content. I happen to grow sweet onions so I have a vested interest in the world of allium growers. We have a national onion association  known as NOA, here in the US. However the World Allium Association was based in the Netherlands.

FYI: Allium is also the name of a purple colored flowering plant related to the garlic family. The Allium referred to on this site is the humble onion (Allium cepa L., from Latin cepa "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion. It is a vegetable and is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium.

Just recently I was in Maui on a working vacation thanks to the internet. I'm compiling some maritime stats for a Louisiana legal practice and just have to update my data on their site, OffshoreInjuryLouisiana.com - takes me a couple of hours a day, so I'd have lots of free time to explore Maui! In preparation for this trip I had scoured the listings of condo rentals in Maui to find a place that would be great for a vacation, but would also afford me access to the farms growing the Maui "Sweet" onion. I found a great condo on the western coast of the island that was managed by a local company who were so helpful. Their concierge services included car rentals, airline reservations, island activities, and special in room amenity services. I felt pampered, to say the least.

Hawaiian farmers have long claimed that a true Maui onion must be grown on Maui which is home to the rich, volcanic soil of Mount Haleakala. The local farmers attribute the unique sweetness of the true Maui onion to the red volcanic soil of Mount Haleakala and the island’s warm weather. Maui onions are distinctively sweet, lacking the sulfur that gives most other onions their sharp taste and tear-producing odor. The onions also have a high water content resulting in a gorgeous juiciness. For the month I stayed on Maui I divided my days between enjoying hikes, snorkeling and seeing the natural beauty of this tropical island and visiting onion farmers. It was the perfect vacation for me. I even was able to go to the annual Maui Onion Festival at Whalers Village to get lots of tasty preparation of this sweet onion and to learn some new recipes!

Introduction

We are pleased to announce the foundation of the World Allium Association (WAA) in June 1999 in the Netherlands. The WAA serves as an umbrella organisation for all parties involved in the production chain of allium crops. It will play an important role in the exchange of information on worldwide developments in the entire crop chain. The WAA's main focus is on onions, shallots, garlic and leeks.

The World Allium Association Mission Statement:
The exchange of information on worldwide developments of all aspects related to growing and trading of allium crops.

The WAA will inform its members through various channels e.g.:

• newsletters
• conferences
• workshops
• symposia
• exhibitions
• website
• field demonstrations
• site visits

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World Onion Congress 2001

18 & 19 September 2001, Ahoy’ Rotterdam, NL

We regret to inform you that due to various reasons the decision has been made to postpone the World Onion Congress, which was planned to take place on 18 and 19 September 2001. We have the intention to organise the congress at a later date. As soon as we have more information, we will inform you via, amongst other channels, this website.

The onion industry is faced with serious challenges:

• National and European legislation is putting a ban on a wide range of chemicals
• Different rulings on a national level affect competitiveness in various countries
• Food safety is at present a more important issue than ever before

World Onion Congress and AGF Totaal join forces in 2001

The second World Onion Congress will face the above issues. On 18 & 19 September 2001 the World Onion Congress is held in Rotterdam concurrently with AGF Totaal. Speaker from the European commission, national governments, industry and retailers will discuss these topics.

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Congress program

The congress program consists of three sessions

Session 1:

• Food safety, quality assurance, traceability and labelling

Session 2:

• European and national legislation; is a ban on the use of different chemicals a threat for the onion industry and its competitiveness?

Session 3:

• Breeding; including biotechnology?

The complete program will be sent to you at a later date. The official language of the conference will be English. No simultaneous translation will be available.

Congress fee

The congress fee includes access to congress, coffee breaks, proceedings and access to AGF Totaal. Lunch is not included. All prices are exclusive of 19% VAT.

Fee:

Complete congress (1½ day = 3 sessions)	Є425
Per session (½ day = 1 session)	Є175

The Onion Square

AGF-Totaal, Europe’s largest fruit and vegetable trade fair is held for the eleventh time at Ahoy’ Rotterdam. A special area for companies involved in the onion industry is available at AGF Totaal. Join forces with other "onion" companies and discover the unique opportunities that the Onion Square offers to you and your business relations.