P125 SRP on imported red onions effective Feb. 8

THE P125 per kilo suggested retail price on imported red onions will be effective on Wednesday as Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban formally issued Administrative Circular 05 implementing the SRP on the bulbs in the wet markets in Metro Manila.

At least 3,500 metric tons of imported onions arrived in the country in an effort by the government to bring down the prices of the food commodity but based on the monitoring of the DA, the outsourced bulbs remained high — between P180 and P260 per kilo.

“In order not to aggravate the current difficulties of the Filipino people affected by the pandemic and rising fuel prices, there is a need to guide the consuming public on the reasonable prices of basic necessities in the market,” Panganiban said.

Officials of the DA met with farmers groups, importers, retailers and resellers on Friday when it was determined that the landed cost of imported onions was only P35 per kilo.

Farmers’ group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) President Rosendo So said that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will lead the crackdown on violators.

So said the onions will be included in the implementation of Price Act where violators will be facing penalties and possible cases.

So added that the DTI will have the authority to penalize and file charges against the violators of the P125 SRP on imported onions.

According to So, the retail price of imported white onions are higher compared to the local white onions.

“The farmgate price of local white onions in Nueva Ecija range between P50 and P60. Here in Manila, it is still P200 per kilo,” he noted.