P3.5-million worth of yellow onions seized at Port of Manila

The Bureau of Plant Industry and the Bureau of Customs have seized a 40-foot container carrying 25,000 kilograms of fresh yellow onions from China at the Port of Manila South Harbor.

According to a statement on Tuesday, the shipment, worth over P3.5-million, arrived in July and was subjected to a Warrant of Seizure and Detention.

“It’s impossible that this shipment of onions were imported using an SPIC because we only issued sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances in late August,” said BPI director Gerard Glen Panganiban.

“We remain steadfast in our support to the newly signed Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act. We hope that these confiscations will serve as a warning to unscrupulous traders and companies that the DA and BPI are fully committed to cracking down on these illegal trade practices that endanger not only public health but undermine the livelihood of our farmers,” he added.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., in July 2023, ordered the National Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice to investigate onion smuggling, and issued a warning to smugglers and hoarders allegedly responsible for surging onion prices in 2022.

"Isa sa mga dahilan ng pagtaas ng presyo ay ang mga smuggler, mga hoarder, at mga nagmamanipula ng produktong pang-agrikultura. Ihahabol at ihahabla natin sila," Marcos said before a joint session of Congress at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.

(One of the reasons for rising prices is the presence of smugglers, hoarders and manipulators of agricultural products. We will look for them and file complaints against them.)

"Sadyang hindi tama ang kanilang gawain at hindi rin ito tugma sa ating magandang layunin, pandaraya ang kanilang ginagawa. Napapahamak hindi lamang mga magsasaka, kundi tayo ring mamimili kaya't hindi natin papayagan ang ganitong kalakaran. Bilang na ang araw ng mga smugglers at hoarders na 'yan," he added.

(What they are doing is not right, they are committing fraud. Not only farmers are affected, but consumers as well, that's why we won't allow such practice. The days of smugglers and hoarders are numbered.) — Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/BM, GMA Integrated News