Gov't still issuing import permits, quarantine clearance for onions

The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) said it continues to issue import permits and plant quarantine clearance for onion products.

According to BPI director Joel Rudinas, the agency has been regularly issuing onion import permits to eligible importer applicants since June 13 this year to provide adequate supply to the market as the holiday season approaches.

Rudinas said the BPI always takes into account the welfare of the consumers and the farmers in issuing the permits.

He revealed that  about 60 importers have already been issued import permits. Those given permits include farmers groups such as Kasamne and NOGROCOMA.

Giving onion permits to farmers’ groups ensures that farmers are also given the chance to import, Rudinas said.

Rudinas said the BPI limits the issuance of permits to a handful of importers. Furthermore, it only issues permits to accredited importers in good standing.

Rudinas reiterated the BPI continuously monitors the supply and demand situation of onion products to better protect the interest of the consumers and farmers.

Rudinas issued the clarification following complaints from local onion growers affiliated with the soon to be formed SIPAG Onion Foundation that the BPI has stopped issuing onion import permits.

The local onion growers are appealing to the BPI to temporarily issue more onion imports during the lean traditional local onion production months from September to December each year.

In a press briefing, local onion stakeholders warned that stored local onions is now down to just about 20 percent of available supply.

Hence, onions have to be imported from September to December or even up to January in time for the harvest of local production.

Without the imports, local onion growers warned, the few onion importers could drive up onion prices to “sky-high levels”.

Local onion price per kilo is still at P62, while the price per kilo for the imported big onions is still at P48.

However, actual retail prices is already P10 to P20 higher, the onion growers said, and could reach as high as P100 or more when supply dries up.

No local supply is expected until December or January.

Unfortunately, the local onion growers complained the BPI has stopped issuing import permits, with only five to six big onion importers virtually cornering the issued import permits.

Local onion farmers urged the BPI to be more transparent and equitable in the grant of temporary onion import permits and not allow the six big onion importers to control the market and dictate their prices.

During the regular onion production and harvest months, the local growers oppose the importation of onion from China, New Zealand and India.

In fact, the onion importation threaten to kill the P4 billion Philippine onion sector, the growers warned.

In fact, the only surviving local onion production is for red onion as the white onion production has been wiped out due to the importation of cheap and big onions from China.

Local onion growers stress that they are not completely against onion importations. However, what the local growers want is a variable schedule of importation — allowing onion imports only during times when local production is low due to climate disturbances.