Onion farmers in Bayambang, Pangasinan are calling for an increase in the price of their product, which is said to be too low due to imported onions.
In a report by Claire Lacanilao on GMA Regional TV News on Thursday, it was said that farmers are now busy harvesting onions to take to the markets.
But they complain that the price of onion is so low now that it only reaches P25-P30 a kilo.
“Kawawa ang mga farmer kasi siyempre sa sobrang mahal ng abono, pataba, saka pang spra. Kaya kawawa ang mga farmers ngayon,” said farmer Helen Valenciano.
(Farmers are miserable because, of course, the fertilizer, manure, and spra are so expensive. The farmers are pitiful today.)
Meanwhile, another onion farmer Marites Paca said, “Sana marinig itong panawagan namin, na lahat kaming magsasaka na kahit itaas po ang presyo ng sibuyas. Dahil po kawawa po kami na farmers. Halos gabi at araw nandito na kami sa bukid para magtrabaho.”
(I hope they hear this call, that we are all farmers even to raise the price of onions. Because we farmers are poor. We have been here on the farm almost night and day to work.)
Onion farmers lament low prices allegedly due to imported onions
But an official of the Department of Agriculture explained that importing onions is only allowed if there is a shortage of supply in the market.
The price of onion is said to be declining due to the low demand in the markets today.
“Hindi basta-basta nag-i-issue ng import permit kung walang basehan. At kung mag-issue man ng import permit ay sinusigurado ng ating departamento na pagdating dito sa Pilipinas ay hindi timing doon sa pag- harvest ng ating mga farmer, ” explained Director Nestor Domenden, DA-RFO1.
(We don’t quickly issue an import permit if there is no basis. And if we give an import permit, our department will ensure that when they arrive in the Philippines, it is not the time for farmer’s harvest.)
The DA is said to have technical assistance for farmers affected by the decreasing onion prices.
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