San Juan City: Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Monday announced that he has directed the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) to conduct inspections of onion cold storage facilities. This move aims to prevent hoarding and potential price manipulation in the onion market.

According to Philippines News Agency, Tiu Laurel emphasized the urgency of this measure during a media interview held alongside the National Food Authority rice sale in San Juan City. He highlighted concerns about newly harvested onions potentially not reaching the market as planned. The inspections began on Monday, as Tiu Laurel instructed the BPI to check for any instances of concealed onion stocks.

Tiu Laurel elaborated that storing onion harvests at the start of the harvest season could be construed as hoarding, suggesting that storage should ideally occur in the middle or towards the end of the harvest season. He anticipated receiving reports on the inspection results by Wednesday or Thursday, which would reveal if any hoarding activities are taking place.

The directive is intended to curb possible price manipulation as the Philippines awaits the arrival of 3,236 metric tons (MT) of imported red and white onions, a portion of the approved 4,000 MT import volume. Currently, the prices for local red onions in Metro Manila range from PHP140 to PHP240 per kilogram, while local white onions range from PHP90 to PHP150 per kilogram. Imported white onions are priced between PHP100 and PHP160 per kilogram.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) aims to stabilize onion prices between PHP140 and PHP150 per kilogram with the expected import volume. Should prices fail to decrease, Tiu Laurel mentioned the possibility of implementing a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for onions. He noted that some prices remain at PHP200, but with the import arrivals scheduled for this week, the DA may intervene if prices do not adjust accordingly.

Earlier statements from the DA highlighted the need for a tactical importation strategy, emphasizing limited imports and a specified timeline. This approach seeks to ensure stable retail prices while supporting local farmers, who are expected to reach their peak harvest period from late March to April.