PH importing 16,000 MT of yellow onions

The Philippines is importing 16,000 metric tons (MT) of fresh yellow onions to ensure sufficient supply of the agricultural commodity in time for the holiday season.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., in an interview with reporters on Wednesday, said he has already approved the memorandum on the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPSIC) for the importation of fresh yellow onions.

"Inapruba ko na nu'ng Lunes 'yung pag-import ng white o yellow onion dahil ang stocks natin sa tantsa ay depleted na (I approved last Monday the importation of white or yellow onions because based on our estimates, the stocks are already depleted)," Tiu Laurel said.

The Agriculture chief said the country will be importing 16,000 MT of yellow onions, which will cover the supply deficit for the remainder of the year.

The volume is based on the monthly per capita consumption of the country and will serve as the buffer to stabilize prices in the market.

"Limited quantity lang 'to ng white onion na ini-import para lang to stabilize prices of white onion (This is just a limited quantity of white onions that we will import to stabilize prices)," he said.

Based on the memorandum, the supply of yellow onions at 3,296.50 MT is expected to last only until August 25, 2024.

The first batch of imported yellow onions, Tiu Laurel said, should arrive "by the end of this week or early next week."

He added that arrivals should not go beyond December this year so as not to coincide with the harvest season, which will begin in January 2025.

The memorandum, likewise, said that with the upcoming holiday season, the demand for yellow onion is expected to increase which may result in a spike in prices in the market.

Meanwhile, Tiu Laurel said the supply of locally produced red onions is "good until March of next year." — VDV, GMA Integrated News