No SRP on onions amid price spike – DA

No SRP on onions amid price spike – DA

MANILA, Philippines — There is no plan to impose a suggested retail price (SRP) on onions despite a spike in retail prices as the bulbs are sold at P220 per kilo, a ranking Department of Agriculture (DA) official said yesterday.

In a chance interview, Bureau of Plant Industry director Gerald Glenn Panganiban said that at least 21,000 metric tons of onions are expected to arrive in December to ensure a steady supply amid the expected demand increase during the holidays.

“We are not talking about that (SRP),” Panganiban said.

The DA implemented a P250 per kilo SRP in December 2022 but the price of onions skyrocketed to P720 per kilo amid the supply shortage.

Panganiban said there is currently no supply shortage.

He added that of the total volume of imported bulbs, around 17,000 MT are red onions and 4,000 MT are white onions.

He noted that imported onions are expected to arrive this week.

As for red onions, Panganiban confirmed that the retail price increased by P30 per kilo.

The retail price of onions should only range between P140 and P160 per kilo, he noted.

“Ideally, the average should be P140 to P160 (per kilo) for local red onions and the imported (red onions) should be lower,” he said.

Based on the DA’s monitoring, the retail price of local red onions went as high as P220 per kilo; local and imported white onions, P160 per kilo.

10-year study

Poultry raisers’ group United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA) and the Philippine Egg Board (PEB) yesterday said that the possibility of selling eggs per kilo instead of per piece has been studied for the past 10 years to address retailers manipulating actual sizes to earn more profit.

In a message to The STAR, UBRA and PEB chairman Gregorio San Diego said that consumers will benefit from the proposal to shift to selling eggs per kilo but it could result in damage.

“This will help consumers from manipulation of sizes but it may also result in a higher price as the retailer will blame the damaged eggs in weighing as it is also part of the supply chain,” he added.

San Diego noted that the retail price of eggs is expected to go down starting January after the high demand during the holiday season.

AGAP party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones brought up the idea of selling eggs per kilo as retailers often change the sizes instead of the actual price.

Briones, who also chairs the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines and Egg Council of the Philippines, said there is high demand for eggs amid the increase in consumption during the holidays.

Based on DA’s monitoring, the retail price of medium-sized eggs is at least P8.50 per kilo.