DA again extends ban on onion imports

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has again extended the temporary ban on onion imports, moving it to the end of August as the country has enough supply to meet demand.

“We’re monitoring everything closely [on a] day-to-day [basis]. As of the moment, it is not necessary to import onions,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in an interview on Monday. “I guess we would be extending [the import ban] on a monthly basis.”

The DA first enforced a ban in January to prevent a further drop in retail prices due to a supply glut after shipments of imported onions arrived late, coinciding with harvest time.

Before Tiu Laurel announced the extension, the moratorium was initially set to end in May but it was extended to July.

He issued a warning to “unscrupulous” traders who might take advantage of the situation to withhold stocks to create an artificial shortage to jack up prices.

“Just a warning: we will import onions if they tighten the release of their supplies to stabilize retail prices,” he said.

Tiu Laurel had said the DA would activate any plans to import onions only when necessary.

Based on the Bureau of Plant Industry’s estimate, the domestic supply of white onions would be enough to cover demand through the early fourth quarter while the harvest of red onions would be good until the initial months of 2025.

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Government data showed that the country has 163,503.67 metric tons of fresh red and yellow onions.

As of Friday, local red onions sold from P80 to P150 per kilogram, lower than the P150 to P180 per kg around the same period last year, based on the DA’s price monitoring of Metro Manila markets.

Local white onions ranged from P60 to P130 per kg, also lower than last year’s P120 to P170 per kg.