DA considering red onion importation as prices rise

The Department of Agriculture is mulling allowing the importation of red onions after prices increased significantly.

At the Mega Q Mart on Thursday, red onions sold for P160 per kilo, up from P100 per kilo.

The white variety also increased from P60 per kilo to P100 per kilo.

Red onions - from P100/kilo, now P160/kilo
White onions- from P60/kilo, now P100/kilo
Calamansi - from P80/kilo, now P100-110/kilo. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/JumwiiVjaJ

— Tina PanganibanPerez (@tinapperez) December 5, 2019

The price increase is due to limited supply.

“Titingnan nila 'yung nasa warehouses pa ng Bureau of Plant Industry. And kung talagang wala na, the Bureau of Plant Industry may recommend again for the secretary to instruct the BPI to import,” Agriculture spokesperson Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes said in a press conference.

Reyes said the import clearance will cover red onions only because an import clearance for white onions had already been issued.

The department suspended onion importation in March due to a probe into alleged cartel operations.  — BM, GMA News