The drop points include the Port of Manila-South Harbor, Port of Subic, Port of Cebu, Port of Davao, and Port of Cagayan de Oro.
During the Laging Handa public briefing on Tuesday, DA Assistant Secretary Rex Estoperez said the move is due to tightening inflation amid increasing demand for local red and white onions which currently sells from P420 per kilogram to P600 per kilogram in markets.
Citing the change in import volume and the timing, Estoperez said Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban already signed it and there are changes in their recommendation.
Instead of 22,000 metric tons, the indicated volume became 21,060, he said.
“And the ‘must-arrives’ must not be delivered beyond January 27. So that one, we are balancing the volume of the harvest of the farmers and the peak season of harvest of the farmers also. The recommended volume was 22,000 metric tons, where 50 percent will be allocated for Luzon, and 25 percent each for Visayas and Mindanao, with the proposed timing reaching up until the first week of February,” he said.
Estoperez said the approved timing is a way to protect the local production of farmers, especially for the coming peak harvest season from mid-February up until May.
Aside from this, he said the temporary importation also intends to lower the retail cost of onions in the market.
“We are looking into the September level of P100 to P150. But that’s not yet final. We have to check. What’s important is the farmers’ cost of production,” Estoperez added.
