The Department of Agriculture (DA) has extended the ban on the importation of onions until August.
“We’re monitoring everything closely. As of the moment, we don’t need to import onions.
But we will extend the ban on a monthly basis… for now until August,” said DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
The ban initially took effect in May but was extended until July.
Tiu Laurel does not want a longer extension as unscrupulous traders might take advantage of the ban to withhold stocks and create artificial shortage that would send prices of onion soaring.
“If that happens, we will immediately allow importation to stabilize prices,” Tiu Laurel said.
The Bureau of Plant Industry said current domestic supply of white onions is sufficient until early fourth quarter while the harvest of red onions is expected to be enough through the initial months of 2025.
Monthly consumption of white onion is estimated at 4,000 metric tons (MT) while of red onion is at 17,000 MT.
The DA said area planted to onion increased to around 40 percent this year with major producing region Central Luzon accounting for 10,388 hectares.
Based on the DA’s monitoring of public markets in the National Capital Region as of Friday, the price of local red onions is at P80 to P150 per kg and local white onions at P60 to P130 per kg.