If this Thursday, the price of onions was at P650 per kilo here at the Divisoria market, this Friday it is sold at P550 per kilo.
The Department of Agriculture also recommended that the suggested retail price of red onions be pegged at P250 starting December 30. But in the Divisoria Market, no onion store sells for less than P500 per kilo.
And even though the price of red onion in Divisoria has dropped, sales are still sluggish as buyers continue to flock.
The DA expects onion prices to drop significantly in the coming months, especially during the harvest season from March to April.
Meanwhile, despite being high, there is still no movement in the prices of some basic commodities in Divisoria, such as chicken at P210, beef at P320, and pork at P290.
Fish, such as galunggong and tilapia, can both be purchased at P120 per kilo.
Oil can be bought at P80 per liter, salt at P15 per kilo, and sugar at P85 to P90 per kilo.
On Thursday, Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. stated the administration was looking into ways to legalize the sale of illegally imported onions in order to solve the country’s supply shortage.
Onion price in Divisoria dropped to P550 per kilo
Marcos made these comments after the price of onions in some Metro Manila shops jumped to P700 per kilogram.
The government would keep an eye on the price, as promised by the President, who also promised that “we will stick firmly to the recommended price.”
“We’re trying to find ways to bring the smuggled onions that have been caught na ilagay na sa market para mabawasan ang supply problem,” Marcos, who sits as Agriculture chief, said.
“But there are some legal issues to doing that immediately. So we’re still working on that. But we will keep the prices down by monitoring what’s happening in our palengke,” he added.
The National Capital Region’s suggested retail price of onions was set by the Department of Agriculture on Thursday at P250 per kilo.
“Considering the effects of the rising fuel prices due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, aggravated by the pandemic cause high prices of agricultural commodities,” it stated.
“In order not to aggravate the current difficulties of the Filipino people affected by the pandemic and rising fuel prices, there is a need to guide the consuming public on the reasonable prices of basic necessities in the market,” it added.
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