Onion farmers criticized Friday the agriculture department’s decision to increase onion imports ahead of harvest season.

Agri dept allows more onion imports

The Department of Agriculture said it authorized the importation of 3,000 metric tons of red onions and 1,000 metric tons of white onion, with delivery expected in the next 2 weeks.

DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the increase in buffer stocks will prevent unscrupulous traders from jacking up prices, similar to what happened during the 2022 crisis.

READ: The Onion Story

Jayson Cainglet, executive director of the Samahang Industry ng Agriculture, said the DA announcement has frightened farmers who are now scrambling to harvest their produce ahead of the imported deliveries to make a profit. 

“The damage has been done. Nung sinabi pa lang na mag-i-import, natatakot na yung mga farmers natin. Maraming nag-ani ng sibuyas kahit hindi pa panahon para mahabol yung magandang presyo sa farm gate,” he said in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview. 

“Panahon ngayon ng anihan dapat bumababa ang presyo dahil maraming supply kaya nagtataka lahat. Tingin namin baka may ispekulasyon dahil sabi ng mga farmers, two weeks ago hindi na namimili ang trader. Pag hindi namimili ang trader, meron siyang alam na hindi alam ng mga magsasaka at ‘yun pala merong naka-ambang pag-aangkat.”

Agri dept says onion prices likely to stabilize

Cainglet said it is the first time in history that government increased onion imports just in time for harvest season.

“First time na nangyari ito na kasagsagan ng anihan, magpapasok ka ng sibuyas. Usually pinapapasok natin ang sibuyas, pagkatapos ng anihan, after May, June, July, August ‘yan ang lean months sa sibuyas,” he said. 

 “Talagang bababa siya ng kusa dahil by mid February or in two weeks time ‘yan yung peak harvest. Dapat siyang bumaba dahil sa dami ng sibuyas sa market pero ang kabilang kampo, nalugi na naman ang mga farmer kasi imbes na maganda ‘yung presyuhan ngayon dahil papasok na ang import, alam nilang babaratin sila.”

Cainglet urged the DA to hold on to the buffer stock to allow farmers to benefit from the higher farmgate prices.  

“Ang request sana namin, i-hold yung importation para naman makalaban ang farmers natin sa magandang presyo. Ang scenario sa bukid, talagang binabarat sila kasi nga alam nilang may parating na import na sibuyas,” he said.

“Pwede namang i-hold muna, huwag ilabas. Ang sibuyas pwedeng i-stock muna ng 4 buwan sa cold storage."