RED BULBS A farmer in Pangasinan digs onions up during harvest. The government’s importation of onions, which began on Jan. 3, threatens to hurt the profit of local farmers. —WILLIE LOMIBAO
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has allocated over P100 million worth of assistance for the onion industry this year.
In a statement on Tuesday, the DA said that the assistance will enable onion growers to have increased productivity towards self-sufficiency and to ensure that onion farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) have prepared markets for their produce.
Data from the Philippine Onion Industry Roadmap shows that the country’s onion production must reach 279,270 metric tons by 2027 from the current 229,539 metric tons by increasing area planted and productivity.
Of the P100-million aid, production support services for onion growers such as providing seeds and fertilizers amounting to P47.48 million were provided through the DA’s High Value Crops Development Program.
Also established and distributed under the program are onion production and post-harvest facilities, irrigation network services, and farm production machinery with a fund of P35.673 million.
The program likewise “funded a package of technology training worth P1.4 million and onion production research activities amounting to P10.048 million.”
From February to August 28, the DA-Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service already linked FCAs with big buyers for the delivery of 82,442 kilograms of onions and shallots amounting to P3.228 million.
Aside from the major producing regions including Central Luzon, Ilocos, Mimaropa and Cagayan Valley, the DA is also considering expanding the local onion production through partnerships with farmers in Visayas and Mindanao.
The agriculture department reiterated that constant dialogues and consultations among its stakeholders were being done to address the challenges of the local onion industry. – Irish Lorraine Perez, Inquirer.net trainee