Airing their disappointment over losses incurred due to the influx of imported onions, a farmers’ group pointed to the 10-men board of the Department of Agriculture, as the culprit in every importation of agricultural products.
James Ramos, administrator of the Facebook page for Onion Farmers Philippines, blamed the continuing drop in prices of their newly-harvested onions on the continuous importation of the commodity.
He told the Daily Tribune, that the price of their produce last Thursday ranged from P160 to P180 per kilo. Yesterday, it was pegged at P150.
“Bumabaha na kasi ang mga imported, na mabibili sa P120-P130. Kaya yun aming ani, patuloy na bumaba sa paluging presyo (We are being flooded with imported onions that can be bought at P120 to P130 a kilo. Prices of our harvest, as a consequence, has dropped considerably) “ Ramos explained.
While admitting the shortage took place almost after the middle of last year, Ramos said, it was due to the diligence of newly-elected President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who go after smugglers of agricultural products.
“Kaya naman natin maging self-sufficient basta pigilan lang ang mga smuggled na imported (We can be self-sufficient as long as we stop the smuggled imports),” said Ramos, who grew up as an onion farmer in Bayambang, Pangasinan.
He assured that they can also help authorities in locating smuggled imported onions stocked in cold storages in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
Imported onions and other agricultural produce, he said, are entering the country because of the “10-men” board members of the DA, and those who issue import permits.
Citing that every new administration has to appoint a DA’s secretary as its head, the members of the board are not being replaced.