THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has allotted P326.97 million worth of interventions to boost the onion industry in 2023, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said on Wednesday, February 8, 2023.
Malacañang said the DA, headed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. himself, allocated P69.949 million for onion production support services, including provision of seeds, seedlings, and other farm inputs; P3.2 million for irrigation network facilities; and P1.9 million for extension support, education, and training under its High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP).
It said P6.486 million is earmarked for farm production-related machinery and equipment distribution; P2.359 million for production facilities; and P2.5 million for postharvest and processing equipment and machinery distribution.
The DA will also establish seven cold storage facilities for onions worth P240.757 million, with up to 10,000 bags capacity in Pangasinan and Nueva Vizcaya.
A cold storage facility with 20,000 bags capacity will also be given to the New Hermosa Farmers Association in Hermosa, Bataan; the Nagkakaisang Magsasaka Agricultural MPC in Talavera, Nueva Ecija; and the Valiant Primary Multipurpose Cooperative in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija.
Salvacion United Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative and the Samahang Gumagawa Tungong Tagumpay Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Rizal and Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro.
The PCO said under the DA Enhanced Kadiwa: Sagip Sibuyas Project, a total of 10 farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) from the Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) region with 78,000 members received financial grant totaling P40 million.
Under the project, eligible FCAs shall use the grant of up to P5 million for trading capital to cover the costs of procuring onions directly from farmers, hauling and delivery to markets and cold storage facilities, and storage rental.
The DA also provided market linkage services to ensure that the onion FCAs have ready markets for their produce, including fast food chains and institutional buyers.
The Philippines recently experienced a shortage of onions that resulted in its prices soaring to more than P700 per kilo.
The DA has ordered the importation of 21 metric tons of red and white onions to arrest the increase of its price.
On Monday, February 6, the agency set the suggested retail price on imported red onions to P125 per kilo.
Marcos earlier ordered the DA to strengthen the link between food producers and consumers, as well as institutional buyers and remove middle men in the picture which usually results in higher prices of commodities. (SunStar Philippines)