Remember the 2022 onion crisis? DA maps out measures to avoid recurrence
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — With the onion crisis of 2022 still fresh in Filipinos’ memory, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has lined up intervention measures to revitalize onion farming in the country.
In a statement over the weekend, the DA said the first onion research and extension center in the Philippines would rise in Bongabon town, Nueva Ecija.
Bongabon, deemed as the onion capital of the Philippines, accounted for about 15 percent of total bulb output last year, said the DA.
Eduardo Lapuz, DA regional executive director in Central Luzon, said the planned research center would help develop ways to better combat onion pests and diseases, as well as improve seed quality and bolster farm yields. It will be located at the Bongabon Agricultural Trading Center compound.
In addition to the research and extension center, the DA vowed to double the funding for the procurement of pheromone lures, the traps used to monitor and manage pest infestations. The government agency has earmarked up to P5 million to help onion farmers combat armyworms.
The DA also intends to equip Bongabon farmers with new technologies to boost productivity, using best practices in China as benchmark, and sourcing better seeds to increase their income.
Self-sufficiency goal
READ: Onions cheaper even in Switzerland than in Philippines
“Our goal is clear: make the Philippines self-sufficient in onion production, eliminate the need for imports and increase the income of local farmers,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said during the Sibuyas Festival.
He said the increasing trend in domestic production and the capacity of local farmers to produce onions would be sufficient to meet domestic demand and ensure stable prices.
To recall, onion prices surged to as high as P700 per kilo around the Christmas holiday season of 2022 through early 2023.
READ: Onions sold at P700 in markets bought for P8-P15 a kilo from farmers, says agriculturist
Prices have normalized since then. Local red onion ranged from P65 to P160 per kilogram as of April 3 versus P60-P120 per kg in the same period a year ago, based on the DA’s price monitoring.
On the other hand, local white onion retailed between P50 and P130 per kg compared with last year’s P60-P120 per kg.
The country’s onion production totaled 264,322.89 metric tons (MT) in 2024, up 4.7 percent from the previous year, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.
Central Luzon is the leading onion producer, accounting for almost 60 percent of overall output.
Despite higher figures, the DA said it still fell short of the projected demand of 270,000 MT this year.
Data from the Bureau of Plant Industry pegged monthly consumption at 17,000 MT for red onions and 4,000 MT for white onions.
