Welcome to NAPSO+ – Expanding Storage Knowledge Beyond Potatoes
The North America Potato Storage Organization (NAPSO) has established itself as a trusted source of knowledge, collaboration, and practical insight for those working in post-harvest potato storage. With the unanimous support of our Central Committee, we now introduce NAPSO+ – an extension of our original mandate designed to support additional crops that share the same storage landscape.
This is not a departure from our original mission, but a practical evolution—recognizing that real-world storage systems are rarely crop-specific and that our community is stronger when we serve intersecting needs. NAPSO+ allows us to retain our strong potato identity while growing in relevance, inclusivity, and impact.
Please note: The “+” in NAPSO+ signals addition, not replacement.
Join us as we begin this new chapter! We welcome contributions, feedback, and insights from across the storage community. Contact us anytime at contact.napso@gmail.com.
Our first area of focus under NAPSO+ is onion storage.
Why Onions, Why Now?
This expansion is not arbitrary. In fact, it reflects the reality on the ground. Across North America—in regions such as the Pacific Northwest, Midwest, and parts of Canada—many of the same producers who grow and store potatoes also manage onions. These dual-crop producers operate in shared storage environments and face overlapping challenges: temperature and humidity control, ventilation, shrinkage, pathogen suppression, and energy costs.
Yet while the potato storage industry benefits from a robust library of research and collaborative frameworks (many of them supported by NAPSO itself), onion storage remains comparatively underserved. Technical guidance is scattered, often anecdotal, and highly regionalized.
That’s the gap NAPSO+ seeks to fill—not by diluting our potato focus, but by extending our proven approach into an adjacent area of clear grower need.
What NAPSO+ Will Offer – Starting with Onions
- A dedicated NAPSO+ section on this website, housing curated resources, case studies, and webinar recordings
- A pilot webinar on onion storage in the coming year, focused on real-world practices, technical solutions, and innovation
- A platform to amplify fragmented knowledge—from university research to vendor insights—and make it more accessible to professional storage managers
- Clear, modular content that keeps our potato-first identity intact while providing added value to growers who manage both crops
Initial Onion Storage Resources for Professionals
To begin this journey, we’ve curated a short selection of resources that are practical, technically credible, and geared toward commercial operations – not hobbyists or gardeners. Please get in touch if you might be aware of other useful online resources and we will be happy to add it here. Please contact NAPSO communications coordinator Emily Merk on contact.napso@gmail.com
Recommendations for Curing and Storing Bulb Onions – University of Georgia Extension
Developed with Georgia’s Vidalia onion industry in mind, this bulletin is broadly applicable to onion growers dealing with high-value crops destined for long-term storage. It covers the full post-harvest sequence: field preparation for storage, curing conditions (85–90°F at 70% RH), fan setup, and strategies for minimizing bruising and sprouting. Its strength lies in its clarity—complete with system diagrams and detailed step-by-step instructions for maintaining onion quality across different storage types. Growers working with sweet or mild varieties will find this especially relevant.
Onion Storage Best Practices – BC Ministry of Agriculture
This highly practical resource from British Columbia’s Ministry of Agriculture addresses both environmental control and operational layout within commercial onion storage. It emphasizes strategies for effective bin loading, air distribution, and temperature phase-down following curing. One of its most valuable aspects is guidance on balancing drying and ventilation, especially during transitional weather conditions. The document is well-suited to both open-shed and enclosed storage systems and speaks directly to those managing large volumes under variable climatic conditions.
Storage and Handling – National Onion Association
The National Onion Association provides best practices for storing and handling onions to maintain their quality and extend shelf life. Recommendations include storing onions in cool, dry, well-ventilated areas and avoiding storage near moisture-releasing items like potatoes.
Harvest and Handling – Utah State University Extension
This comprehensive guide outlines best practices for harvesting and handling onions in Utah’s climate. It emphasizes the importance of timely harvesting, proper curing, and storage techniques to maintain onion quality. The document provides detailed information on mechanical undercutting, topping, and optimal storage conditions, including temperature and humidity control, to minimize losses and preserve bulb integrity.
