'Wrong timing': Farmers group says local onion harvest to be affected by imports

MANILA – A group of farmers is opposing government’s move to import 21,060 metric tons of onions as the price of the commodity continues to soar in the Philippines. 

• Philippines to import 21,060 metric tons of onions as prices soar: DA exec

Eric Alvarez, who sits on the board of directors of a producers’ cooperative in Vega Village, Nueva Ecija, told ANC’s Rundown that the importation might hurt local farmers.

“Parang na-late po yung timing natin ng pag-import kasi base po sa sinabi ni, nung (Department of Agriculture), darating ng, ang last day ng dating po ng imported is January 27. So ibig sabihin po, January 27, onward, doon pa lang po maibebenta yung huling dating ng imported,” he said. 

“Eh yung time po na yun, yun na po ang karamihan na ani ng sibuyas ng mga magsasaka sa atin dito po sa Pilipinas. Kaya po yung imported tsaka yung local, magsasabay na po sa market,” he explained.

(I think our timing is late. The DA said they will import until January 27. So there will be onions that will be sold from that date onwards. But that is the time when our local farmers start harvesting. So local and imported onions will be in the market at the same time.)

“Pag dumating siya ng January 27, ibebenta na po yan nang February. Eh yun na po ang anihan po talaga. Kaya yung presyo ng sibuyas, maapektuhan na po yung presyo ng local na sibuyas bababa na po,” he added.

(If they arrive on January 27, they will be sold by February. That's harvest season. So prices of local onions will drop.)

Alvarez said importation of onions will only benefit importers.

“Yun pong consumer natin, hindi rin po gaanong makikinabang kasi baka po ang gawin ng importer, yung price po ng imported na sibuyas ididikit lang din sa price ng local. E di sila lang po ang kikita pagkatapos baka sabayan pa po ng mga smuggler, eh magagaling din po yung smuggler, ang magsa-suffer eh yung farmers,” he noted.

(Our consumers will not benefit because importers will just sell their produce close to local prices. So they will earn. But smugglers can enter the picture too.)

Alvarez said that if government really sees the need to import onions, then they should only import a 2-week supply of it.

He noted that onion farmers in Nueva Ecija, Mindoro, and Pangasinan are set to start harvesting their crops in only a few days.

“Ang kailangan na lang po sana natin, pang-2 weeks consumption na sibuyas eh. Yun na lang po sana ang maiparating nila. After 2 weeks po kasi, bababa na po talaga ang presyo ng sibuyas. Eh January (11) na ngayon. After 2 weeks po, sabay na po ang ani ng Nueva Ecija at Pangasinan.”

(We just need onions good for 2 weeks of comsumption. After that, prices will drop because Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan will start harvesting.)

“So makaka-suplay na po tayo sa market tapos kung may darating na imported, kaunti lang po sana para lang naman po hindi masyadong mahirapan yung magsasaka, especially po yung aani ng Nueva Ecija at Mindoro na mga huling aani po,” he explained.

(So we can supply to the market. So if we should import, let us only import a few. So farmers won't suffer, especially those in Nueva Ecija and Mindoro who will harvest last.)
--ANC, 11 January 2023