Kathlyn Joy d.

David
Bahay Pare Elementary School
Column Writing

Onion Prices Higher than Meat Prices

Onion is a part of the daily Filipino food, its been a basic permanent kitchen basics for
Filipino households. But the price of onion has been plummeting since the past few
months.
According to data from the Department of Agriculture (DA), retail prices for onions more
than quadrupled yesterday to P200 per kilo.
The head of operations of the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal, Gilbert Cumila,
stated that the wholesale cost of the bulbs is greater than the going rate for the same
time in 2022.
The wholesale price of onions decreased to P60 per kilo in March 2023 during the
height of harvest season, but the price decline only lasted two weeks before it rapidly
increased to more than P100 per kilo, according to Cumila.
At the trading station, not many onions have arrived. Cumila noted that the wholesale
costs, which range from P135 to P140 per kilo, are already expensive and could go up
more. In Aritao (Nueva Vizcaya), the DA constructed a cold storage where farmers
could store onions, the speaker said. However, an onion farmer from Bongabon in
Nueva Ecija named Dan Alfaro claimed that traders already have supplies of onions. He
mentioned that the following planting season wouldn't begin until October.
If these instances will prevail, increasing of onion prices will continue, and everyone will
be hugely affected. Not only the food industry, but also small ordinary households will
suffer. Our country now resort to importation of onion from other countries, however,
market prices of onion will not be secured to decrease in this manner. In addition, this
may affect the local farmers.
The government should be able to monitor the market prices, ensuring that no one is
abusing and taking advantage of the situation and the projected shortage of onion.
Supplies should be secured and our farmer should receive assistance on new
technologies that may help them produce and harvest more onion. Government
agencies and non government organization should work collaboratively to support our
local farmers and bring reasonable-priced onion in the market.