MANILA, Philippines — Onion farmers are not happy about the government’s decision to import red and white onions during the peak harvest season in February and March.
In an interview with Super Radyo DZBB 594 on Monday, February 10, the Valiant Primary Multi-Purpose Cooperative Inc. of Bongabon, Nueva Ecija, called the importation “untimely,” citing the imminent onion harvest this month.
“We oppose this importation because it is untimely and we are about to harvest and enter the peak season. That is the problem,” Manager Luchie Cena said in Filipino.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced on Thursday, February 6, that it has approved the importation of 3,000 metric tons of red onions and 1,000 metric tons of white onions, which are expected to arrive in the coming weeks.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the move aims to prevent a potential shortage that could drive up prices or be exploited by traders, which was an issue in 2022 when onions reached P700 per kilogram.
He cited a Bureau of Plant Industry report showing that as of mid-January, only 8,500 metric tons of red onions and 1,628 metric tons of white onions were in stock.
This is about half of the country's monthly consumption, which the agency estimates at 17,000 metric tons for red onions and 4,000 metric tons for white onions.
Delay release of imported onions
Cena argued that imports should only be allowed when an agricultural product is needed for immediate consumption. Since white onions reach peak season before red onions, she suggested that the latter be stored in cold storage instead.
“Red onions should only be used when needed for consumption, as white onions are consumed first. Red onions come next,” Cena said in Filipino.
She questioned the basis for declaring a shortage, pointing out that the exact harvest and total yield for the peak season have yet to be determined.
“Right now, how can we say there's a shortage when the exact harvest and the total yield for the peak season have yet to be determined?” Cena said in Filipino.
It is only when the stocks of red onion are released to the market that the DA could identify a potential shortage and decide to import, she added.
What went before
Cena emphasized that importation is a “big deal” for farmers as it creates fear and uncertainty.
In the past, she said it has forced onion farmers to harvest prematurely, anticipating a price drop once imported onions enter the market, which could significantly reduce their earnings.
“If they are going to import only a small amount, they shouldn't release it immediately. Store it in a facility first,” Cena said in Filipino.
Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) chairperson Danilo Ramos said that when farmers harvested onions ahead of schedule in 2024, prices in Dagupan City markets fell to as low as P10 per kilogram due to oversupply.
“Farmers in Nueva Ecija were also forced to dump onions as cold storage facilities overflow and traders prefer imported bulbs,” he said in a statement on Sunday, February 9.
Peasant group Amihan also warned that the importation would drive down farmgate prices — the rate at which onions are bought directly from farmers.
This would hurt farmers rather than benefit them, Secretary General Cathy Estavillo said, as production costs can run into thousands of pesos. In Occidental Mindoro, the group found that expenses reached nearly P200,000 per hectare in 2022.
Farmgate prices. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the average farmgate price in 2024 was P33.07 per kilogram for white onions and P62.56 per kilogram for red onions. This, however, varies per region.
Retail prices. Meanwhile, retail prices in Metro Manila markets were three to four times higher, based on the DA’s price monitoring as of February 6:
- Local red onion: P168.94 per kilogram
- Local white onion: P118 per kilogram
- Imported white onion: P118.99 per kilogram