DA orders inspection of onion warehouses

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February 26, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has ordered the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) to inspect onion storage facilities nationwide to determine whether newly harvested produce are being withheld from the market, potentially inflating prices.

Onion harvests were expected to begin this month, with the BPI projecting an early yield of around 33,000 metric tons by March to help stabilize market prices.

However, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. expressed concern that fresh supplies may not be reaching consumers as expected.

“Last Friday, I directed the BPI and its team to visit all the onion cold storage facilities across the country and inspect whether newly harvested onions are being kept there instead of being sold,” he said.

“If they are, that’s wrong. Onions are typically stored toward the middle or end of the harvest season, not at the start. This clearly points to price manipulation – it’s hoarding,” he added.

Hoarding and price manipulation are considered illegal trade practices punishable by law.

The agriculture chief estimated that the BPI would complete its inspection within four to seven days, with a report expected by the end of the week.

Earlier this month, Tiu Laurel authorized the importation of 3,000 metric tons of red onions and 1,000 metric tons of white onions to mitigate a projected supply shortage ahead of the harvest season.

Despite this measure, onion prices remain high in the local market.

According to the DA’s latest monitoring as of Feb. 24, red onions are currently priced between P140 and P240 per kilo, while white onions range from P90 to P150 per kilo.