Solon seeks sustainable, long-term solution to country's onion problem
Published Jan 7, 2020 12:00 am
By Charissa Luci-Atienza
Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga on Tuesday urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) to look into sustainable long-term solutions to the limited supply of local onions, which include increased local production through biotechnology and restriction of import permits.
Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga (Cong. Mark Enverga Official Facebook Page / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
The DA recently ordered the importation of up to 35,000 metric tons of red onions from China to address the increasing prices of the commodity as a result of its limited supply.
Enverga described as a "short-term strategy" the importation of the red onions which started early January.
"The decision of the DA to import red onions to cover production gap of two months from January to February is a short-term strategy to lessen the impact of low production of onions during this period. In the absence of long term strategies, I think we will continue this immediate action just to preserve the market supply and demand equilibrium prices. To be free from this short term solution, we really need to look into some sustainable long term solutions," he said in an interview with the Manila Bulletin.
According to reports, DA Secretary William Dar authorized the importation of red onions on January 3, citing the price increase of red onions to P250 per kilo this month.
Enverga said the government should look at biotechnology to increase the local production of red onions.
"One is in the area of biotechnology, perhaps a variety which can increase production and with a longer shelf life for storage purposes," he said.
He also asked the government to restrict the issuance of import permits to protect the production of local onions.
"The government should likewise strictly consider and monitor the amount or volume of importation that will not flood the market with these imported onion even during harvest seasons and the timing as well . A restricted issuance of import permits should be at all times be observed," Enverga said.
"Since onion is a commodity eligible for special safeguards, the DA should monitor strictly the volume and prices of onion so that if it exceeds, additional tarrif in the form of price-based special safeguards is immediately imposed," he added.
Reports said the price of red onion was pegged at P180 per kilo in Metro Manila in December, 2019.
In a statement, former Anakpawis party-list Rep. Ariel “Ka Ayik” Casilao opposed the importation of red onions from China.
"The Duterte government has again promoted its liberalization of agriculture by approving more importation of onion that is certain to cement the tombstone on the livelihood of Filipino onion farmers who are chronically facing depressed farm gate prices,” he said.
He said the importation last year brought down the farmgate prices from the usual P30 to P45 per kilo to P10 to P15 per kilo, affecting the local producers.
Top onion-producing provinces are Nueva Ecija, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and Occidental Mindoro, he noted.
“The long-term solution for the limited supply of local onion is government support and not importation," Casilao said.
"Local farmers usually loan from usurers as the cost per hectare reaches to as high as P150,000. For self-sufficiency and self-reliance, the government should promote local production, not importation,” he said.
He noted the country's import-dependency on onion reached to as high as 52 percent in 2016, and in 2018 at 38.51 percent.
“We are already seeing the concrete results of the Duterte government’s liberalization policies in agriculture, in rice, galunggong, and now in onion. If this continues, the agriculture sector will be totally undermined and the consumers will be totally thrown into the control and domination of private traders and importers. Liberalization of the sector of food items destroys food security and will lead to hunger and poverty,” he said.
Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga (Cong. Mark Enverga Official Facebook Page / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
The DA recently ordered the importation of up to 35,000 metric tons of red onions from China to address the increasing prices of the commodity as a result of its limited supply.
Enverga described as a "short-term strategy" the importation of the red onions which started early January.
"The decision of the DA to import red onions to cover production gap of two months from January to February is a short-term strategy to lessen the impact of low production of onions during this period. In the absence of long term strategies, I think we will continue this immediate action just to preserve the market supply and demand equilibrium prices. To be free from this short term solution, we really need to look into some sustainable long term solutions," he said in an interview with the Manila Bulletin.
According to reports, DA Secretary William Dar authorized the importation of red onions on January 3, citing the price increase of red onions to P250 per kilo this month.
Enverga said the government should look at biotechnology to increase the local production of red onions.
"One is in the area of biotechnology, perhaps a variety which can increase production and with a longer shelf life for storage purposes," he said.
He also asked the government to restrict the issuance of import permits to protect the production of local onions.
"The government should likewise strictly consider and monitor the amount or volume of importation that will not flood the market with these imported onion even during harvest seasons and the timing as well . A restricted issuance of import permits should be at all times be observed," Enverga said.
"Since onion is a commodity eligible for special safeguards, the DA should monitor strictly the volume and prices of onion so that if it exceeds, additional tarrif in the form of price-based special safeguards is immediately imposed," he added.
Reports said the price of red onion was pegged at P180 per kilo in Metro Manila in December, 2019.
In a statement, former Anakpawis party-list Rep. Ariel “Ka Ayik” Casilao opposed the importation of red onions from China.
"The Duterte government has again promoted its liberalization of agriculture by approving more importation of onion that is certain to cement the tombstone on the livelihood of Filipino onion farmers who are chronically facing depressed farm gate prices,” he said.
He said the importation last year brought down the farmgate prices from the usual P30 to P45 per kilo to P10 to P15 per kilo, affecting the local producers.
Top onion-producing provinces are Nueva Ecija, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and Occidental Mindoro, he noted.
“The long-term solution for the limited supply of local onion is government support and not importation," Casilao said.
"Local farmers usually loan from usurers as the cost per hectare reaches to as high as P150,000. For self-sufficiency and self-reliance, the government should promote local production, not importation,” he said.
He noted the country's import-dependency on onion reached to as high as 52 percent in 2016, and in 2018 at 38.51 percent.
“We are already seeing the concrete results of the Duterte government’s liberalization policies in agriculture, in rice, galunggong, and now in onion. If this continues, the agriculture sector will be totally undermined and the consumers will be totally thrown into the control and domination of private traders and importers. Liberalization of the sector of food items destroys food security and will lead to hunger and poverty,” he said.