Arrabella A.

De Mesa
PSC31
Political Economy
Professor Jumel Estranero
De La Salle University – Dasmarinas

On the rise: Philippine Onion

The Philippines is well known for being agricultural, but a supply-demand
shortage endangers food security, which makes its agricultural system questionable. For instance,
onions are in short supply across the country. January 2023, the Philippines has just been
realizing the problem regarding onions since the price increase is getting out of control. It is
alarming because the price of a kilogram of onion is greater than that of meat. As stated in the
news article in The Manila Times, The onion was easily the inflation leader in 2022 and made
Philippine onions the most expensive onion on Earth, as its retail price ranges from P550 to P700
per kilogram. Since onions are frequently used in Filipino cooking, this is a significant issue. The
roots of these issues may not be just because of inflation, but it is also the country's agricultural
system. Businesses say the Department of Agriculture made inaccurate supply predictions last
year. Agriculture officials predicted onion and garlic shortages in August, and the department
opposed imports because they had enough supplies. The administration suspects domestic
pricing manipulation and regional issues. To sum it all up, the department of Agriculture must be
investigated, and President Bong Bong Marcos, as its head, should be accountable.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/01/08/opinion/columns/philippine-onion-most-expensive-in-
the-world/1873211
https://time.com/6245568/philippines-onions-shortage-inflation/