MANILA - The Department of Agriculture on Monday said it would continue working with farmers to find ways to reduce the escalated prices of onions.

Onion prices in the market remain high, selling for about P500 to P600 per kilo from a high of P700, Department of Agriculture Spokesperson Asec. Kristine Evangelista.

This is mainly due to higher farmgate prices, Evangelista said.

"Yan po ang isa sa ating ikinababahala kaya tayo po ay patuloy na makikipagugnayan sa ating mga farmers kasi farmgate pa rin po ang sinasabi ng ating mga tindera, mahal daw po ang bagsak sa kanila. Kailangan po natin matulungan ang mga magsasaka na ibaba ito," she said.

(That's what we're concerned about that's why we're coordinating with the farmers since farmgate prices are the reason cited by vendors that causing high prices. We need to help farmers lower their prices)

Evangelista said there could be an easing in onion prices in the next few weeks as the harvest season is expected to begin in the second week of the month.

The DA is also boosting the presence of "Kadiwa on wheels" to give consumers an alternate source of vegetables.

Inflation in December accelerated to 8.1 percent, mainly due to higher vegetable prices, especially onions. Vegetable inflation for the month reached 32.4 percent, the highest since February 1999.

• Inflation quickens further to 8.1 percent in December on back of higher vegetable prices
• Vegetable prices seen to ease due to onion harvest season in Jan, lower fertilizer cost
• Marcos wants gov't to sell smuggled red onions to bring down price

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