DA Sets SRP of Imported Onions to ₱125 per Kilo

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has given its approval for the suggested retail price (SRP) of ₱125 per kilo for imported red onions in the National Capital Region (NCR).

DA Assistant Secretary Kristine Y. Evangelista has mentioned that stakeholders have suggested the price at a recent meeting.

“This has been approved. We took into consideration the importers’ price… wholesalers’ price, plus the expenses of retailers,” she mentioned.

“With that, we came up with a price of P125 that was agreed upon by retailers.”

The DA will collaborate with  “market masters” to circulate the information regarding the SRP.

According to DA Assistant Secretary Evangelista, the DA had created a cost structure to guide retailers in discussing with suppliers and following the SRP.

“Since we took into consideration the landed cost, as agreed upon by the importers, we believe that the retailers will not have the reason not to sell at a proper price,”

She adds that this SRP will only be imposed in NCR.

A minimum of 3,500 metric tons (MT) from the 21,000 MT that was approved for importation arrived before the deadline of January 27 as set by the agency.

From the latest price monitoring, imported red onions in wet markets are sold at ₱180-260 per kilo, local red onions at ₱230-320, and local white onions at ₱120-250.

For Raul Q. Montemayor, national manager of the Federation of Free Farmers, the onions issue has revealed the manipulation and inefficiency of local agricultural food markets.

“It is also sad that they are now using the imported onions to drive down the cost of local onions,”  he mentioned.

Source: Business World