No onion crisis; stocks enough until next year

Filipinos won’t be shredding tears over onion prices as the commodity is expected to remain affordable throughout the year since the country’s stocks of the vegetable are projected to last until early next year.

- JASPER EMMANUEL ARCALAS

The country’s red onion and shallot stocks as of June 21 reached 161,973.73 metric tons (MT), which could last for 276 days based on a nationwide daily consumption rate of 585.52 MT, according to the latest report by the government’s allium monitoring team.

The government report obtained by The STAR showed that the current fresh red onion and shallot supplies would be sufficient for at least nine months or until March 25, 2025.

The present inventory of red onions are all from local production since the government halted the importation of the vegetable at the start of the year due to a projected bumper harvest.

The temporary import ban on onions has been extended by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. until the end of this month.

Meanwhile, the country’s current supply of fresh yellow onions of about 11,569.07 MT would last for two months and 18 days or until Sept. 8, based on the monitoring report.