When are onions in season in Australia?
No Australian state is harvesting onions in October. The next local crop starts in November, in South Australia and New South Wales.
South Australia and Tasmania grow most of Australia's onions. They cure and store well, so local onions are sold year round long after harvest.
Are onions in season in October?
Not from Australian growers. Anything on a shelf in October is imported or has come out of storage.
Onions are sold long after harvest, so the shelf never looks seasonal. The months on this page are picking months, which is when a farmers market has the freshest crop.
Onion season by state
6 states grow onions commercially, and their seasons differ by weeks or months.
| Name | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Australia | South Australia in January: in season | South Australia in February: in season | South Australia in March: not in season | South Australia in April: not in season | South Australia in May: not in season | South Australia in June: not in season | South Australia in July: not in season | South Australia in August: not in season | South Australia in September: not in season | South Australia in October: not in season | South Australia in November: in season | South Australia in December: in season |
| Tasmania | Tasmania in January: not in season | Tasmania in February: in season | Tasmania in March: in season | Tasmania in April: not in season | Tasmania in May: not in season | Tasmania in June: not in season | Tasmania in July: not in season | Tasmania in August: not in season | Tasmania in September: not in season | Tasmania in October: not in season | Tasmania in November: not in season | Tasmania in December: not in season |
| Queensland | Queensland in January: not in season | Queensland in February: in season | Queensland in March: in season | Queensland in April: in season | Queensland in May: not in season | Queensland in June: not in season | Queensland in July: not in season | Queensland in August: not in season | Queensland in September: not in season | Queensland in October: not in season | Queensland in November: not in season | Queensland in December: not in season |
| Western Australia | Western Australia in January: in season | Western Australia in February: in season | Western Australia in March: not in season | Western Australia in April: not in season | Western Australia in May: not in season | Western Australia in June: not in season | Western Australia in July: not in season | Western Australia in August: not in season | Western Australia in September: not in season | Western Australia in October: not in season | Western Australia in November: not in season | Western Australia in December: not in season |
| Victoria | Victoria in January: in season | Victoria in February: in season | Victoria in March: in season | Victoria in April: not in season | Victoria in May: not in season | Victoria in June: not in season | Victoria in July: not in season | Victoria in August: not in season | Victoria in September: not in season | Victoria in October: not in season | Victoria in November: not in season | Victoria in December: not in season |
| New South Wales | New South Wales in January: in season | New South Wales in February: in season | New South Wales in March: in season | New South Wales in April: in season | New South Wales in May: not in season | New South Wales in June: not in season | New South Wales in July: not in season | New South Wales in August: not in season | New South Wales in September: not in season | New South Wales in October: not in season | New South Wales in November: in season | New South Wales in December: in season |
At its peak In seasonHarvest months, not supermarket availability.
New South Wales has the longest picking season, November to April. Western Australia has the shortest, January to February.
Onion varieties and when each is in season
- BrownAll year, best November to April
- RedSeptember to June, best January to March
- Spring onions and shallotsAugust to May, best February to April
- WhiteSeptember to June, best January to March
Where onions are grown in Australia
- South Australia48%
- Tasmania22%
- Queensland12%
- Western Australia10%
- Victoria6%
- New South Wales2%
Share of national production by state.
Where to buy onions
Out of season locally, so a farmers market will not have it. Worth checking what is in season instead.
In season instead in October
What growers in New South Wales and Victoria are bringing to market while onions are out of season.
★ Asian greens
★ Asparagus
★ Blueberry
★ Leek
★ Peas
★ Potato
Avocado
Banana
Beetroot
BroccoliFrequently Asked Questions
- When is onion season in Australia?
- South Australia grows the most, about 48% of the national crop, and picks from November to February. Elsewhere: Tasmania from February to March, Queensland from February to April, Western Australia from January to February and Victoria from January to March.
- Are onions in season in October?
- Not locally. No Australian state harvests onions in October, and the next local crop starts in November in South Australia and New South Wales. Anything on a shelf now is imported or from storage.
- Where are onions grown in Australia?
- South Australia (48%), Tasmania (22%) and Queensland (12%) grow the largest share of Australian onions.
- Why can you buy onions all year?
- Onions are sold long after harvest, from cold storage, curing or glasshouse growing, so the shelf never looks seasonal. The months on this page are when growers are actually picking, which is when a farmers market has the freshest crop.
- When are the different onion varieties in season?
- Brown: All year. Red: September to June. Spring onions and shallots: August to May. White: September to June.
Harvest months from our own research across Australian growing regions and national production figures.