Metro Manila, Philippines – Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has ordered the importation of certain products, including red and white onions, after recent storms affected the local supply.
Tiu Laurel said he has personally monitored the rising prices of several commodities in wet markets, especially after the three storms in September.
“Hopefully, inflation will stabilize or be tamed as we have already ordered the importation of white onions, red onions, carrots, and broccoli to augment the supply disruption due to storms, rains, and floods,” Tiu Laurel told reporters on Thursday, Oct. 2.
He said the importation of at least 3,000 metric tons of red onions started last week and will end a month before the peak harvest in February.
“We noticed that tumaas na ‘yong red onion last week or two weeks ago up to P140 to P160 [a kilogram], which is kind of too much,” the secretary said.
“I have a feeling na ‘yong current local stocks na natitira ay mukhang pinipigil nang konti para ma-maximize,” he added.
[Translation: We noticed that the price of red onions increased last week or two weeks ago, up to P140 to P160 a kilogram, which is kind of too much. I have a feeling that the remaining local stocks are not released to maximize the price level.]
Tiu Laurel said the importation of white onions also started in September, which has already helped to lower prices from P160 per kilogram to around P110 to P120 per kilogram.
The agri chief said he also allowed the arrival of a “few hundred tons” of imported carrots starting Oct. 1 amid high costs.
As of Thursday, the prevailing price of local carrots in Metro Manila markets was at P249.27 per kilogram, according to the Department of Agriculture.
He said possible sources for onions and carrots are China, Cambodia, and the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, Tiu Laurel does not agree with the forecast of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas that rice may be a main driver of September’s inflation, which may settle between 1.5 percent and 2.3 percent.
He said rice prices were “quite stable.”
