Despite the earlier reports of armyworm infestations in several areas in Central Luzon, the Department of Agriculture said on Friday that the country may expect a good harvest and a sufficient supply of onions this year.

According to Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Arnel de Mesa, the army infestation, locally referred to as harabas, has modestly affected its yield but was able to mitigate its impacts due to the pro-active efforts of the national and local governments, saying that "we’re expecting positive production for the year.”

DA cited reports from the Provincial Agriculture Office that noted only eight percent of the total onion production area was affected.

Furthermore, the agency is stepping up its measures to increase the country’s production of quality onions, including partnering with LGUs to implement information awareness and training programs to farmers.

DA key officials Assistant Secretaries Danny Atayde and Genevieve Guevarra, along with Bureau of Plant Industry Director Glenn Panganiban and Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service Director Junibert De Sagun, recently visited onion-producing areas in Bongabon and Rizal in Nueva Ecija to observe the ongoing harvest and discuss ways to aid its farmers.

They stressed the importance of monitoring onion farms to immediately address any production challenges that may affect their harvest quality and volume.

"We will also assist onion growers of Nueva Ecija in securing a Philippine Good Agricultural Practices (PhilGAP) certificate to enable them to access more markets,” Panganiban added.

According to DA, Nueva Ecija, a major grower of onions in Central Luzon, has over 10,500 hectares of white bulbs. “Nationwide, the volume of production for 2024 is projected at more than 300,000 metric tons,” the agency said. “Aside from the regular information campaign carried out by the Regional Crop Protection Center, BPI will hold training programs on integrated pest management, efficient use of biocontrol agents, and judicious use of farm inputs, including fertilizer and pesticides,” they added.

Moreover, the Agriculture Bureau also committed to establishing more storage facilities for onions and other high-value crops.

Onion imports, banned

To prevent onion surpluses from further lowering their prices, the DA imposed in January an importation ban on onion until May, which may be extended to July, depending on whether its domestic harvest is sufficient to meet local demands.

The action was taken following agriculture chief Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr.'s meeting with the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc., wherein the rise in onion domestic supply and the arrival of the delayed onion shipment were discussed.

PCAFI said an onion glut is impending after an additional 40 percent of the land area was devoted to onion farming, further noting that harabas infestations in some areas in Tarlac and Nueva Ecija were likely to damage only around five percent of standing crops.

The high supply of onions caused its prices to fall between P50 and P70 per kilo last January, and ‘could dive lower when more onions are harvested this month.