MANILA — Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has ordered a review of onion stock data after farmers in Nueva Ecija raised concerns over declining red onion prices.

The complaint, sent via Messenger on February 13, warned that imported onions were piling up in cold storage facilities across Region III and dragging down farmgate prices. In response, Tiu Laurel directed the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) to scrutinize the figures and determine what measures must be imposed to protect farmers’ bottom line while ensuring consumers have available and affordable supply.

Within hours, the BPI used its One-Stop Industry Revitalization and Information System (OSiRiS) to verify the claim.

As of 4:15 p.m. on February 13, monitoring reports covering about 82 percent of cold storage warehouses showed 4,454.09 metric tons (MT) of red onion stocks and 5,271.15 MT of yellow onions, nearly all of them imported. At an average warehouse price of P30.36 per kilo for red onions, inventories are projected to last until February 19 for red onions and March 15 for yellow onions.

While the figures initially suggest oversupply, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said they must be viewed in the context of the seasonal uptick in local harvests expected to peak between March and April.

According to the DA’s National Plant Quarantine Services Division, about 8,000 MT of red onions are covered by sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances valid until February 15 and must arrive before the local harvest peaks. Based on BPI assumptions, even if all remaining shipments arrive within the month, imported red onion stocks would likely last only until March 6, when harvest starts to peak. Old stocks held by private cold storages must also be accounted for, if any.

The DA expects supply to improve beyond that date, citing favorable weather conditions. Estimated local production from onion-producing municipalities shows red onion output from January to March at 9,325.14 MT, roughly 18 percent of the 52,034.4 MT. Outlying provinces known for traditional onion varieties may add to local supply to meet daily consumption but are not expected to further dampen prices.

Meanwhile, yellow onion supply, which is used for commercial purposes, is projected at only 1,645.25 MT for the quarter.

“The numbers show that current stocks from imports are not overwhelming the market but merely plugging a supply gap,” Tiu Laurel said. “That said, we are taking a closer look at why onion prices are falling at this time of the year, as claimed by farmers.”

Given the supply trend analysis, the agriculture chief urged farmers to maximize available cold storage facilities provided by the DA to prolong shelf life and better time the release of harvested onions when market prices improve, to avoid flooding supply channels.

The DA said it will also inspect cold storage facilities, particularly those it provided, to ensure adequate space and proper utilization for the benefit of local farmers.

The department earlier granted cold storage facilities, many of them in Central Luzon, to ensure availability during the lean season and help extend shelf life and stabilize prices, and not to exacerbate supply swings.