The Philippines will import 35,000 metric tons of red onions as its price continued to increase.

“The strengthened guidelines are now in place the issuance of the import clearance good for two months,” said Agriculture Secretary William Dar on Friday.

“There is a gap of two months requirement so the production is not enough that’s why we need to bring in again. That’s always the principle so we will be bringing in (red onions) good for two months equivalent to 35,000 metric tons,” he said.

Dar said importers of the red onions include China.

“These red onions can now be brought in up until mid-February so that it will not be in competition with the main harvest time starting March,” he added.

According to price monitoring by the Department of Agriculture, red onion ranges from P200 (prevailing) to P280 (high) as of January 2 and 3 compared to 180 (prevailing) to 240 (high) pesos on December 28, the last price monitoring by the department of previous year.

“It has been historically low production that's why we need to use more new technologies to increase productivity,” Dar said when asked why there is a production gap of red onions.

Agriculture Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan explained that red onions can only be planted in dry seasons and has a shelf life of only six to seven months. That is why the government has “been doing all the strategies in order to address deficiencies”, he said.

Cayanan said sufficient supply is expected for 2020 with a harvest of 208,448.6 metric tons of red onions expected in March.

“This planting season they (farmers) will harvest the yellow (variety) by latter part of January and earlier part of March for red ( onions), specifically our projected harvest is 208, 448.6 metric tons,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS