DA orders BPI to inspect onion warehouses for hoarding

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. ordered the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) on Monday to inspect onion warehouses nationwide this week for possible hoarding and price manipulation during peak harvest season.

The inspections aim to determine whether newly harvested onions are being withheld from the market, a practice that could artificially drive up prices by creating an appearance of supply shortage.

Tiu Laurel emphasized that storing onions at the beginning of the harvest season is improper and indicative of price manipulation. The BPI is expected to complete its inspection within four to seven days.

In response to potential shortages, the DA decided on Monday to import 4,000 metric tons of red and white onions to avoid a spike in prices similar to what occurred in 2022 when onion prices soared to P700 per kilo due to supply issues.

The BPI projects this season's harvest will yield 33,000 metric tons of onions by March, while farmers have opposed the importation, arguing that locally harvested onions should be sold first before allowing imported stocks into the market.