The Department of Agriculture (DA) said importation of onions is still an option to augment supply and bring down their prices.
The DA, meanwhile, issued orders banning importation of poultry and hogs from some countries.
Rex Estoperez, DA deputy spokesperson, said at the Laging Handa public briefing yesterday at present, the highest farmgate price of onion ranges from P300 to P350 per kilogram (kg) but this jacks up to as high as P500 per kg when traders come into play.
“If we cannot solve this and if we cannot stop the rising cost of onions at farmgate, we may be forced to add more supply from other countries… We are also looking at other interventions and possible shortcomings that the DA can implement at the farms,” Estoperez said.
However, Estoperez said based on estimates, the country may harvest as much as 19,000 metric tons (MT) of onions this month.
The DA earlier said that average monthly demand for onion in the country is at around 17,000 MT.
The DA’s monitoring of selected wet markets in the National Capital Region yesterday showed that retail price of red onion ranges from P280 to P650 per kg. while local white onion ranges from between P400 to P600 per kg.
Meanwhile, DA has temporarily banned importation of imported poultry products from Poland, Ireland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Taiwan, Ecuador, Moldova and Peru on reports of the spread of avian influenza in these countries.
The DA also imposed a ban on imported The DA also issued a temporary ban on imported hog products from Ukraine, Moldova and Czech Republic where outbreaks of African swine fever were reported.
In separate memorandum orders dated Dec. 29, 2022, the DA stopped the importation of domestic and wild birds and their products from said areas, including poultry meat, day old chicks, eggs and semen.
Under Memorandum Order No. 80 also signed last December 29, the ban will be implemented for the importation of domestic and wild pigs and their products and byproducts including pork meat, pig skin and semen coming from the identified areas.
Based on data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), from January to November 2022, the Philippines did not import poultry products from Poland, Ireland, Czech Republic, Taiwan, Ecuador, Moldova and Peru.
Gor the similar period, BAI data showed the Philippines bought from Denmark as much as 139,123 kilograms of chicken.
There were no pork shipments from Ukraine, Moldova and Czech Republic. -J. Macapagal
