President Ferdinand Marcos Jr approved the importation of red onions to reduce prices, which at one point last December exceeded the daily minimum wage of P574.

But instead of the request of the original request of 22,000 metric tons, the importation will be 21, 060 metric tons, said Department of Agriculture (DA) deputy spokesperson Rex Estoperez at the ''Laging Handa'' forum Tuesday.

''The imported onions should arrive before January 27,'' said Estoperez. 'It should arrive before the peak harvest of our onion growers.''

Estoperez said the peak harvest is at mid-February until May.

The Department of Trade and Industry set the suggested retail price of red onions at P250 a kilo after prices soared to as high as P700 during the holidays.

Lawmakers allege that there is a cartel controlling prices of red onions.

Red onion prices remained within P300 to P400 a kilo early January as demand tapered off. DMS