Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan called on the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to intensify its anti-agricultural smuggling operations as the country approaches the onion harvest season.

Pangilinan, the chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, stressed that the influx of smuggled onions during harvest periods has historically resulted in depressed farmgate prices, causing significant losses for Filipino onion growers.

Pangilinan's appeal came as the onion harvest season is set to begin in February to May, when illegal importers time their illicit shipments to flood the market, causing prices to crash and hurting local producers.

In May, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. personally led the inspection of two container vans carrying an estimated 34 metric tons of smuggled white onions from China, with a market value of approximately P4.1 million.

The smuggled products tested positive for heavy metals and salmonella by the Bureau of Plant Industry’s Plant Products Safety Services Division and the National Plant Quarantine Services Division.

Last June, the DA and the BOC also intercepted 25 metric tons of illegally imported red onions from China at the Mindanao International Container Terminal in Misamis Oriental.

Hoarding activities, market manipulation

Pangilinan also raised concerns about possible hoarding activities and market manipulation that lead to massive price hikes and profits that hurt Filipino consumers.

"As the onion harvest season approaches, we must ensure that our farmers are protected against unfair competition from imported and smuggled onions. This is also accompanied by the possible hoarding of onions by onion cartels to continue manipulating onion prices," he added.

Strict port monitoring

Pangilinan lamented that the illegal entry of agricultural produce during the onion harvest season defeats the purpose of supporting local agricultural production and jeopardizes the livelihood of Filipino farmers.

This as he emphasized the need for strict monitoring at ports of entry and close coordination among concerned agencies to prevent smuggled agricultural products from entering local markets.

With that, Pangilinan urged the DA to monitor supply and demand conditions closely and to avoid issuing unnecessary import permits that could coincide with peak harvest periods.

He likewise appealed to the BOC to intensify inspection and enforcement efforts, particularly against syndicates that exploit seasonal demand to smuggle agricultural goods.

“Strengthening border controls and ensuring transparency in importation policies are essential to stabilizing prices for consumers while safeguarding the income of local farmers,” he said, adding that accountability and effective enforcement of anti-smuggling laws benefit farmers, ensure national food security, and protect government revenues.