DA sees onion price drop to P80/kg.
As the harvest season for onions is about to start, the Department of Agriculture said on Monday that it is aiming to have the prices for the commodity fall to as low as P80/kg this year.
In a television interview, Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Kristine Evangelista explained that the start of the onion harvest season typically starts around mid-January.
“Of course, the peak is March and April, but with the better supply, then we can see prices going down,” she said.
Evangelista added that they are considering pricing onions at P200/kg or less, but they must hold another discussion with stakeholders beforehand.
She added, however, that the DA also expected onion producers to develop pricing points that would keep their farmgate prices constant throughout the year.
Evangelista added that the Agriculture department added more cold storage facilities in key locations to increase the commodity’s shelf life.
“We are trying to help our farmers make price points of which their farmgate prices will be stable. They know how to spread their losses as well, and to come up with price points that will be stable throughout the year (while also considering) the cost of cold storage facilities,” she said.
As the price of red onions exceeded P700 a kilo in some markets in Metro Manila on Wednesday, the DA set a suggested retail price of red onions per kilo in the National Capital Region’s wet markets at P250 until the first week of January 2023.
Onion price still high
Despite the introduction of the P250 per kilogram suggested retail price, the DA said that onions being sold at some markets in Metro Manila remained high.
“Based on my inspection at the markets, vendors said that they bought the onions at P500 per kilo and how can they sell the bulbs at P250 per kilo,” she said.
Evangelista added that the DA has worked with the market managers to connect sellers with farmer cooperatives so they may get their onions at a discount. Untrustworthy traders who are discovered taking advantage of the circumstances could be penalized with profiteering and price manipulation and could be subject to a fine of P2 million, the official warned.