DA sets suggested retail price for red onions

Hoping to arrest increases in prices in retail markets, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has set a suggested retail price for red onions at P170 per kilogram.

Currently, red onions are sold in wet markets in the National Capital Region for P200 per kg, based on the DA’s price monitoring as of Monday.

The SRP on red onions will take effect  immediately afer publication or posting of the DA circular  on the department’s website.

The P170 per kilo SRP will remain in effect for 60 days from its approval, according to the DA circular, which was signed on Oct. 7 by DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista said the SRP for red onions was the result of a recently held meeting among onion farmers, traders, retailers and transporters.

“The selling price of P200 per kilogram in the markets is too expensive. Retailers, transporters, traders and producers agreed this [P170 per kg] is the appropriate selling price of red onion,” Evangelista, also the DA spokesperson, said in Pilipino.

Evangelista noted that historically, prices of food products increase during the Christmas season and setting the SRP was aimed at not putting the consumers at a disadvantage.