THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Monday that it ordered the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) to inspect onion warehouses to determine whether the harvest is being withheld from the market.
The DA said the onion harvest is expected to begin this month, with fresh supplies being counted on to ease prices.
The DA said it suspects the harvest might not be reaching the markets.
“Last Friday, I directed the Bureau of Plant Industry and its team to visit all the onion cold storage facilities across the country and inspect whether newly harvested onions are being kept there instead of being sold,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. said in a statement.
“If they are, that’s wrong. Onions are typically stored toward the middle or end of the harvest season, not at the start. This clearly points to price manipulation — it’s hoarding,” he added.
The BPI is likely to complete its inspection and deliver a report by the end of the week.
Earlier this month, Mr. Laurel authorized imports of 3,000 metric tons of red onions and 1,000 metric tons of white onions to address any shortages that may arise before the harvest.
Onion prices remain high, with DA price monitors reporting red onions selling for between P140 and P240 per kilo, and white onions fetching P130-P150.
A month ago, red onion prices were P140 per kilo.
The BPI has said that the early harvest will add around 33,000 metric tons to available supply by March. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza