The Department of Agriculture’s (DA) latest approval of 4,000 metric tons of onion importation—right on the eve of the local harvest season—is yet another proof of the Marcos Jr. administration’s insensitivity to Filipino farmers’ plight. This importation, rather than stabilizing prices, will only worsen the ongoing crisis in the agricultural sector, according to peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP).

KMP strongly urges the government to halt this ill-timed importation and prioritize genuine agricultural reforms. “Farmers should not be made to suffer again due to the government’s failed policies and misplaced priorities.”

“Once again, the DA has shown where its loyalties lie—not with our struggling farmers but with big traders and importers who benefit from these policies. Importing onions at this time will push down farm gate prices, leaving our farmers in deeper debt and losses,” said KMP chairperson and Makabayan senatorial candidate Danilo Ramos.

The DA’s claim that importation is necessary to prevent price spikes and supply shortages is misleading. Data from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) itself shows that red onion stocks stood at 8,500 metric tons as of mid-January, while white onion stocks were at 1,628 metric tons. Domestic onion production was at a record-high 264,323 metric tons last year—its highest since 2019—proving that local supply is not the issue. Farmers have already started harvesting, with an estimated 33,000 metric tons of onions expected in March.

“The government’s onion importation right in the middle of harvest season is a deliberate act of economic sabotage that will only drive down farmers’ incomes while benefiting a few importers,” Ramos highlighted.

The government’s continued obsession and dependence on importation as a band-aid solution has consistently failed to stabilize prices. The 2022 onion crisis—when retail prices of onion skyrocketed to Php700 per kilo—was not a result of production failure but by cartel manipulation and government inefficiencies. Instead of addressing the root causes—hoarding, price manipulation, and lack of farmer support—the DA continues to rely on importation, further crippling local producers.

“Farmers are already struggling with ever-rising production costs and the impact of recent typhoons. Instead of importation, the government should focus on strengthening local production by providing post-harvest facilities, cold storage, and direct market access for farmers,” Ramos stressed. “The DA should stop these imports so that Filipino farmers can get fair prices for their hard-earned produce.”

“We need long-term solutions, not knee-jerk importation policies that only benefit traders at the expense of our farmers,” Ramos concluded. ###