Seeking to lower the skyrocketing price of onions and address the supply gap in the country, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has approved the importation of 21,060 metric tons (MT) of onions before the peak of the harvest season of local onion growers.

In a “Laging Handa” briefing on Tuesday, Jan.10, Agriculture deputy spokesperson Assistant Secretary Rex Estoperez said the country will only be importing 21,060 MT of onions, which was lower than the 22,000 MT earlier reported.

He noted that the market only needs 21,060 MT of onions to fill the supply gap. The government will import 17,100 metric tons of red onions, and 3,960 metric tons of yellow onions.

“[M]ust arrive siya dapat hindi lumagpas sa Jan. 27 na ang ating rekomendasyon ay end of this month or not to exceed the first week of February. Dapat na dumating po ang sibuyas na ating import bago po mag-peak harvest ang ating onion growers (The imported onions must arrive before Jan. 27 as our recommendation is before the end of the month or not to excess the first week of February. The imported onions must arrive before the peak of harvest of our local onion growers),” he said.

The timeline set by the DA for the arrival of imported onions aims to protect local onion growers harvest is expected to peak in mid-February and May, Estoperez explained.

According to the deputy spokesperson, Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban has already signed the letter addressed to onion importers licensed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The subject of the letter was “issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance for importation of fresh yellow and fresh red onion.”

The agriculture department said it is expecting for the price of onion to go as low as P150 to P200 per kilo during the peak of the harvest season of local onion growers.

Earlier, the DA has admitted that the price of onion in country has gotten out of control, saying importation of onion is the only solution to lower its skyrocketing prices in markets.

According to monitoring of the department, the farmgate price for onions is not decreasing.

The DA raised the suggested retail price (SRP) of red onions to P250 on Dec. 30, 2022. However, this increase is still much lower than the current red onion prices, which is reportedly P720 per kilo in some markets.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Jel Santos

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