A high-ranking official of the Department of Agriculture said the government will not import onions and would focus on the harvest season for the rest of the year.

In a recent press conference, Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban earlier said the farmers would start harvesting onions in January and February 2023 despite the supply shortage, adding that the Agriculture Department would mobilize the Kadiwa program to stabilize the prices of the said commodity.

Meanwhile, DA Assistant Secretary James Layug urged the public to report agri-smugglers to the Department. This came after authorities seized P500 million worth of smuggled agricultural products in the previous months.

Layug said around 300 metric tons or 300,000 kilograms of onions were seized and confiscated by a composite team composed of the Bureau of Plant Industry, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Manila International Container Port — Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, National Capital Region Police Office, Philippine National Police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Bureau of Customs.

"We will coordinate with the Department of Justice Secretary (Jesus Crispin "Boying") Remulla, to address the legal aspect in curbing agricultural smuggling activities at mga (and the) identified smugglers — but we still need to work within the law," Layug said.