News Details

DA: Onion prices to drop

NPO

•

March 12, 2025

PNA

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday said the prices of red and white onions may drop amid the harvest season, making it unlikely to set a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP).

This came after some groups suggested to include onions in agricultural commodities, like rice and pork, with MSRP.

In an interview, DA Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness, Marketing, and Consumer Affairs Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra said they have not received any formal request yet.

“Ngayon po ay tag-ani ng sibuyas. Mayroon talaga tayong mamamataan na pagbaba riyan. Hindi po natin nakikita na maglalagay ng MSRP diyan (It’s now harvest season for onions. We can definitely see a decrease. We are not seeing the setting of MSRP for that),” she said.

Guevarra said the DA’s MSRP is used to help tame the spiking prices of a certain commodity.

“Kung ito naman ay nasa normal o mababang presyo, hindi po tayo maglalagay (If this is within the normal or low price range, we will not impose [an MSRP]),” she said.

As of March 10, the price range of local red onions in Metro Manila is set at PHP70 per kilogram to PHP180/kg and PHP60/kg to PHP150/kg for local white onions, according to the DA Bantay presyo (price monitoring).

The imported white onions, meanwhile, range from PHP60/kg to PHP160/kg.

“Nakikita po natin ngayon kung bakit bumaba ng PHP20 to PHP30 dahil medyo malaki iyong supply natin ng (We are now seeing why it has dropped by PHP20 to PHP30 because we have a huge supply in our) local,” Guevarra said.

Some agriculture groups, however, pegged the requested onion MSRP at PHP100 for red onions; and PHP70/kg to PHP80/kg for white onions.

To date, at least 2,300 metric tons (MT) of imported red onions and 970 MT of white onions have arrived in the country, according to the DA.

Market linkages for tomatoes
Guevarra, meanwhile, assured aid to local tomato farmers affected by the decline of prices amid the harvest season.

This came as the wholesale price of tomatoes declined to PHP13/kg; while retail price ranges from PHP25/kg to PHP60/kg, according to the DA.

“Mina-market link namin sila (We are giving them market links), linkages with direct buyers na (that are) wholesalers. Alam naman po natin perishable ang kamatis so kailangan ma-dispose po iyan (We know that tomatoes are perishable so we need to dispose this) the soonest possible time at a large quantity,” she said.

Guevarra said at least six farmer groups in the country have secured market linkages through the DA, while others sought help from DA regional offices.

She urged tomato producers to coordinate with DA for market linkages to ensure a reasonable buying price.