How Philippines' onion prices compare with those in Switzerland, other countries

With prices of onions reaching P300 to P450 in some of the country's markets, the issue of onion prices in the Philippines has reached news outfits abroad.

According to Bernadette Reyes' report on "24 Oras", foreign media have reported on onions in the Philippines being more expensive than meat.

Filipinos abroad have also shared how much a kilo of onions goes for where they live.

In Switzerland, where President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos attended the World Economic Forum, a kilo of red onions costs 1.90 Swiss francs or P113.

In Japan and the United Kingdom, a kilo of onions only costs P50. P48 in Denmark and 1 Riyal or P14 in Saudi Arabia.

In Malaysia, red onions cost P32 per kilo, and white onions cost P60 per kilo. It costs 60 Baht or over P100 in Thailand, 1.85 dollars or P75 in Singapore, and P77 in New Zealand.

According to an Economist, the cost and methods of planting and harvesting differ in other countries.

“Part of our problem sa Pilipinas is hindi productive 'yung agriculture sector natin. Yung mga planting methods, planting and harvesting means and methods and also yung susceptibility ng produce natin sa climate dahil hindi masyado productive agriculture natin, bumababa ang supply sa atin," said economist Renato Reside Jr.

Recently, some people have gone to limited Kadiwa Stores to get onions at only 100-peso levels. However, the previous P170 per kilo of red onions in the Kadiwa market on Elliptical Road in Quezon City has now increased to P200.—Sherylin Untalan/NB, GMA Integrated News