Manila, Philippines – White and yellow onions will come aplenty in the next two weeks after the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) approved the importation of 4,000 metric tons (MT) of the commodity.
BPI Director Dr. Clarito Barron said he signed the authorization last week in anticipation of the heavy demand for the two types of onions during Christmas. Last Thursday night, Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala revealed that onions will soon be cultivated in a 250-hectare property near the General Santos City Airport to supply the market during the off-season.
Alcala said General Santos City has the appropriate climate and soil conditions for onion growing, with the harvest coming as farms in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija are still planting.
Barron said the authorized volume was enough to meet the demand until the next harvest in December. “We expect the arrivals by October 15 and prices will stabilize within the next two to three weeks,” Barron stressed. (Marvyn N. Benaning)