FARMERS in a number of major onion producing provinces are complaining of the continuous drop in farmgate prices of onion to as low as P10 per kilogram (kg), the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) said.
Former Agriculture secretary and FFF National President Leonardo Montemayor said that the decline in prices was due to the late arrival of onion imports, worm infestations and reduced irrigation.
Citing reports from the FFF municipal chapter of Bayambang, Pangasinan, Montemayor said that farmgate prices of the bulb are currently ranging from P10 to P50 per kg.
"Why were onion imports allowed entry after December 2023? This violated the [Department of Agriculture's] rules that are intended to protect Filipino producers during the harvesting period from January to April," said Montemayor.
The former Department of Agriculture (DA) chief has emphasized that both the national and local governments should have anticipated the current excess in the supply of onions and developed plans to assist farmers in selling or storing their harvest.
Rodolfo Camacho, FFF municipal chapter president, said they have received reports from traders claiming that recent onion imports are causing them to buy local varieties from farmers at low prices.
"The outbreak of army worms called harabas, coupled with reduced groundwater levels caused by El Niño, are also affecting the size, quality and output of onions," Camacho said.
The total area planted to onions during the current cropping period has increased significantly due to the high onion prices in 2022-2023, according to the FFF.
Bayambang is the major producer of onions in Pangasinan with 77 barangay (villages) engaged in production of the bulb. Nearby towns like Alcala and Basista in Pangasinan and Camiling in Tarlac likewise have hundreds of onion growers, according to Camacho.
Montemayor urged the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. to extend more crop insurance to onion farmers. He also assured onion farmers that he will relay their concerns to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
On the other hand, to address the dropping price of other commodities such as highland vegetables, the DA provided direct market linkage for farmers to address supply glut.
Laurel said that through a collaboration with the Cordillera Association of Regional Executives, the monitoring of highland vegetable supply and amount of unsold vegetables will be done to avoid decline in prices.
"A total 163,189 kilograms [of vegetables] were sold and will be sold until January 26, 2024, assisting 93 farmers from the provinces of Mountain Province, Benguet and Ifugao," said Jennilyn Dawayan, officer in charge of the DA-Cordillera Administrative Region office, in her report to the DA.
Dawayan said that national government offices in Baguio City and nearby areas acquired 11 tons of unsold vegetables from different trading posts between January 5 and 6.
Additionally, farmers sold 44 tons from January 8-14, and a week later, an additional 105.6 tons were sold at prices ranging from P10 to P15 per kg.
"It's our goal to make agriculture a profitable venture for millions of farmers, fishermen and others in the value chain. By helping them bring their products directly to market, we're not only helping agriculture workers and entrepreneurs but providing consumers access to lower-priced food products," said Laurel.
As part of his eight-point strategy to boost food production and establish farming and fisheries as viable investment options, Laurel aims to enhance and broaden market opportunities for farmers and fisherfolk.