1 month ago
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The Department of Agriculture (DA) has approved the importation of 4000 metric tons (MT) of red and white onions to prevent a repeat of the 2022 crisis when onions soared as high as ₱700 per kilo.
“This importation of 3,000 metric tons of red onions and 1,000 metric tons of white onions is intended to ensure we have a sufficient buffer stocks while we await the fresh harvest,” DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said on Thursday, Feb. 6.
“We will not risk a potential shortage that unscrupulous traders could exploit to drive up prices, as we saw in the past. We do not want a repeat of the 2022 crisis,” he added.
In 2022, the retail prices of onion saw absurdly high spikes as a consequence of a supply shortage exacerbated by delayed imports.
A year later, a congressional inquiry by the House of Representatives also found substantial evidence that hoarding, smuggling, and price fixing played significant roles behind high onion prices.
Based on latest figures from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), red onion stocks in storage stood at 8,500 MT, while white onion stocks were at 1,628 MT.
Following a bumper harvest last year, the inventory of red onions is expected to last until February—which coincides with the start of a new harvest season.
According to the DA, the importation of both red and white onions are expected to arrive within the next two weeks.
Current projections estimate that several MT of onion will be harvested this month. Meanwhile, around 33,000 MT are expected for March.
BPI Director Glenn Panganiban, meanwhile, allayed concerns of consumers as he stressed that the imports is just a “preemptive measure”.
“While we were assured during our consultative meetings that there is still ample supply of onions, BPI recommended minimal imports to prevent major price spikes,” said Panganiban.
“Also, due to the typhoons that hit late last year and prevalence of pests and disease, this importation is meant to be a buffer for possible supply gaps,” he explained.
BPI data shows that the country’s monthly consumption is approximately 17,000 MT for red onions and 4,000 MT for white onions.
