Even if the price of onions has risen to double the suggested retail price, the Department of Agriculture (DA) confirmed that it has no plans of importing onions given the expected harvest in the coming months.
DA deputy spokesperson Rex Estoperez said prices of onions have already skyrocketed to P520 per kilogram in select markets in Metro Manila, with farmgate prices up to P300 per kilogram.
According to the monitoring of the DA, prices of local red onion in Metro Manila markets averaged P500 per kilogram on Tuesday. Meanwhile, no stocks are available for the local white onion and imported varieties.
“Ang presyo naman, ang nagdidikta niyan ay supply and demand, so kung mahina ang supply mong nanggagaling po sa ating produksyon, ang presyo ay tataas,” Estoperez said during the public briefing.
“Meron tayong supply, hindi sobra-sobra,” he added.
Prices have increased non-stop for months. The local red onions averaged P280 per kilogram on November 25, P250 per kilogram on November 11, and P180 per kilogram on October 25.
Estoperez explained that it is hard to assign the prices of the commodity because of the high cost of production. He added that strictly implementing the SRP would defer farmers from selling their goods.
“Mukhang sa enforcement, mahihirapan tayo dun kasi kung ilalagay natin sa ating mga kamay, ‘pag sabihin na natin, magdidikita, wala nang magbebenta niyan kasi mataas ang presyo ng puhunan nila,” he said.
— Ronald Espartinez