BPI urged to issue more onion import permits

Local onion growers affiliated with the soon-to- be-formed SIPAG Onion Foundation appealed yesterday to the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) to issue more onion imports during the lean traditional local onion production months of September up to December.

In a press briefing, local onion stakeholders who requested anonymity, warned that stored local onions are now down to just about 20 percent of available supply.

Onion farmers said, onions have to be imported from September up to December or even up to January in time for the harvest of local production.

Without the imports, local onion growers warned, the few onion importers could drive up onion prices to “sky-high levels”.

The price of local onion is P62 while imported big onions is still at P48.

Actual retail prices are P10 to P20 higher, onion growers said, adding that the price could reach as high as P100 or even more when the supply dries up.

No local supply is expected until December or January.

Unfortunately, the local onion growers complained, the BPI has stopped issuing import permits, with only five to six big onion importers virtually cornering the issued import permits.

What is worse, the local onion growers noted is that five of the six big onion importers are owned by mainland Chinese businessmen.

Local onion farmers urged the DA-BPI to be more transparent and equitable in the grant of temporary onion import permits and not allow the six big onion importers to control the market and dictate their prices.           — Marianne Go