Philippines plans to import thousands of tons of red onions

In the Philippines, retail prices reached PHP 300 (USD 5.23) per kilo of red onions while the price of PHP 170 (USD 2.97) had been imposed as the suggested retail price.

 

If a deficit is revealed by the survey conducted by the BPI, the government plans to import 7,000 tons of red onions.

 

According to an official of the Department of Agriculture, these imports will not affect national production because the harvests are not done. In the country, the onion planting season starts in October and continues until December and the harvesting season extends from February to March.

 

According to the producers, the government should increase support for the sector: by increasing the areas of onion production in the country from the current 18,000 hectares to around 25,000 hectares, as well as by providing more facilities post -harvesting and cold storage, and improving access to better technology to control pests and diseases.