Marilyn Cahatol

Workers unload bags of red onions inside a storage area in Divisoria market in Manila on August 18, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Dennis Datu

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177166019798120220818-red-onions-divisoria-GC-2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Workers unload bags of red onions inside a storage area in Divisoria market in Manila on August 18, 2022.  George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/file "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Workers unload bags of red onions inside a storage area in Divisoria market in Manila on August 18, 2022.  <em>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/file </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said onion farmers in Occidental Mindoro should be satisfied with farmgate prices ranging from ₱40 to ₱45 per kilo, despite their appeal for at least ₱50 per kilo price. </p><p>“For now, they should be happy with ₱40 to ₱45,” he said in a text message.</p><p>On Friday, onion farmers <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/2/20/mindoro-farmers-protest-low-onion-farmgate-prices-1423">staged a protest</a> in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro following the drop in farmgate prices to ₱35 to ₱40 per kilo. </p><p>Farmers are appealing for at least ₱50 per kilo to prevent sinking deeper into debt and to recover their production costs.</p><p>“Hindi pa po sapat sa magsasaka na ang hirap, ang sakripisyo halos dito na kami gumigising sa aming taniman ng sibuyas, halos dito na kami natutulog lalo na kung nagkakaroon ng peste,” said Gemma Tabian, president of Bantay Oksi, a farmers’ group in Occidental Mindoro.</p><p>Tabian added that nearly all the farmers relied on borrowed capital to finance their crops. </p><p>“Hindi lang po iisa ang may utang sa ginamit namin sa sibuyasan halos lahat po ng nandidito ngayon ay utang lamang ang ginamit namin na puhunan,” she said.</p><p>Farmers blamed onion importation for the continued decline in farmgate prices. However, Laurel maintained that imported onions are nearly depleted, noting that prices have already started to increase in Nueva Ecija.</p><p>He insisted that traders or buyers are controlling the pricing.</p><p>“The traders or buyers are the one pushing the prices down... wala na masyado imported in fact sa Nueva Ecija. Mas mataas na ang red onion,” Laurel said in his text message.</p><p>Tabian, however, acknowledged that no new shipments reportedly arrived in 2026, but claimed that the volume previously imported was enough to cover nearly the entire year’s consumption.</p><p>“Tama po ang sinasabi nila na ang 2026 ay hindi na sila nagparating subalit ang ipinarating naman po nila ay halos konsumo ng buong taon ng 2026,“ Tabian said.</p><p>“Hindi po kami naniniwala na paubos na ito sapagkat bumabaha pa po, mayroon kaming kaibigan nasa Bacolod na ngayon ay nagsasabing napakarami pong imported na sibuyas na lumalabas don bukod pa po sa Pangasinan,” she added.</p><p>The farmers are calling on the Department of Agriculture to conduct field inspections to assess the actual situation of onion growers on the ground.</p><p>Meanwhile, Laurel has advised the farmers to secure cold storage facilities for their harvested produce while waiting for farmgate prices to increase.</p><p>“They should look for cold storage and store muna nila ang onions nila,“ Laurel said in a text message to ABS-CBN News.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/2/15/imported-onions-to-last-only-until-harvest-season-da-1629">Imported onions to last only until harvest season -- DA</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/39l2ol7KrUE?si=9xCBPAnj_wqdKlLh" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said onion farmers in Occidental Mindoro should be satisfied with farmgate prices ranging from ₱40 to ₱45 per kilo.</p>

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said onion farmers in Occidental Mindoro should be satisfied with farmgate prices ranging from ₱40 to ₱45 per kilo.

Agri Sec. Laurel says onion farmers 'should be happy' with ₱40–₱45 farmgate price

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Agri Sec. Laurel says onion farmers 'should be happy' with ₱40–₱45 farmgate price

Dennis Datu,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 21, 2026 04:39 PM PHT

Read More:

Department of Agriculture

Sec. Francisco Tiu Laurel

Occidental Mindoro onion farmers

farm gate price

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