Marcos raises lack of cold chain facilities for onions

THEY’RE HERE Truck helpers unload imported onions so these can be stored in a warehouse in Divisoria, Manila, on Monday. It was not clear if this shipment, labeled as a “product of China,” is part of the government’s first batch of onion imports that arrived in the country. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday brought up the issue of the lack of cold chain facilities in the country for onions, which ultimately affects the commodity’s supply and prices.

At a meeting with Department of Agriculture officials in Malacañang, Marcos reportedly voiced concern over the deterioration of stored onions due to a lack of suitable cold storage facilities, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

“We need more cold storage, we need a better, stronger cold chain para ma-maintain naman natin, ma-preserve naman natin ‘yung agricultural products,” Marcos said, as quoted by the PCO.

“So iyon ang mga plano, ‘yun ang mga ginawa namin para [sa] mga immediate needs doon sa ating mga nagtataasan na presyo ng agricultural products,” he added.

(So that’s our plan, that’s what we’ll do for the immediate needs to address the rising prices of agricultural products.)

The President also said the government is carrying out a program aimed at helping onion farmers increase their yield to stabilize the supply and bring down the commodity’s price.

“We’ll do this by increasing the area that is being planted to onions, number one,” he said.

“And secondly, we will help by – the DA (Department of Agriculture) will help by providing inputs. So the first part of that is we are going to the seed producers so that they will produce good seed that we can give to the farmers at some point. Iyon ang kanilang gamitin as inputs. And all that what they need,” Marcos added.

The DA has deferred the P250 suggested retail price (SRP) extension due to the forecasted lower price range of onions following the harvest season.

According to the DA, onion prices may decrease from P100 to P150 per kilo with the entry of more than 5,000 metric tons (MT) of imported onions.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) earlier reported that onion production in the third quarter of last year was recorded at 23.30 MT, 1.7 percent higher than the 22.92 MT output in the same quarter of 2021.

Also, the DA’s 2022 supply and demand outlook data indicated that the country has a 120 percent sufficiency level with 312,830 MT of onions. Per capita consumption for onion is at 2.341 kg/year per the PSA, with an estimated demand of 21,000 MT per month.

As of December 15 last year, the PCO said the total stock inventory of locally produced red onions in cold storage nationwide is 2,209.45 MT.

There were no stocks of yellow onions and imported red onions in cold storage facilities.

To provide more affordable onions, KADIWA stores offered native red and white onions for P170 a kilo, with each customer being allowed to buy a maximum of three kilos.

The DA, on January 10, announced the importation of about 22,000 MT of onions to address high prices and supply shortages.

JMS/abc