Lower prices of onions are expected in the coming weeks with the arrival of approved imports of red and white onions, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Monday.

“End ng February, the prevailing is P200. And we’re expecting that the price will further drop once the imports enter the market, these yellow and red onions,” Agriculture spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said in an interview.

As of Feb. 14, the prices of local red onion in Metro Manila range from P150 per kilogram (kg) to P230/kg; P100/kg to P140/kg for local white onion; and P100/kg to P150/kg for imported white onion, according to the DA Bantay Presyo (price watch).

Of the approved 4,000 metric tons (MT) importation of red and white onions, only 3,236 MT are expected to arrive in February, based on the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) data.

The said volume is even lower than the 7,000 MT reported deficit for the current month.

“This will help to slightly tame the prices. But at the same time, it will neither affect nor dump the prices of locally-produced onions,” De Mesa said.

As of Feb. 7, he said 2,222 MT red onions are expected to arrive, with around 44 sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPSIC) issued; and 1,014 MT white onions for 20 approved SPSIC.

The BPI said 52 MT imported white onions have already arrived as of Feb. 13.

Earlier, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the importation is just a “tactical” move to cover supply gaps before the peak harvest season of local onions and prevent the 2022 crisis with onion prices hitting as high as P720/kg, highlighting the “limited time and volume” of approved imports. Tiu Laurel said peak harvest may come from late March until April. 

PNA PHOTO