Laurel: Inspect onion warehouses

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has directed the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) to inspect all onion warehouses nationwide to determine whether newly harvested onions are being withheld from the market, fueling concerns over price manipulation.

In a statement Monday, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said onion harvests are expected to begin this month, providing fresh supplies to ease prices. However, Laurel expressed concerns that the harvest might not be reaching the market as anticipated.

“Last Friday, I directed the Bureau of Plant Industry and its team to visit all the onion cold storage facilities across the country and inspect whether newly harvested onions are being kept there instead of being sold,” Laurel said.

Price manipulation obvious

“If they are, that’s wrong. Onions are typically stored toward the middle or end of the harvest season, not at the start. This clearly points to price manipulation — it’s hoarding,” he added.

The agriculture chief estimated that the inspections would be completed within four to seven days, with a report expected by the end of the week.

Earlier this month, Laurel authorized the importation of 3,000 metric tons (MT) of red onions and 1,000 MT of white onions to address the projected shortage before the harvest season.

Based on DA’s latest monitoring, the average price of red onions is P183 per kilo, while white onions are priced at P128 per kilo.