The Department of Agriculture (DA) has authorized the importation of 21,060 metric tons (MT) of fresh yellow and red onions.
In an order, DA said the importation move will “address the supply gap prior to peak harvest in 2023” and “stabilize the continuous increase in the price of fresh onions in the market.”
UPDATE; Pang. Bongbong Marcos inaprubahan ang pag-angkat sa higit 21,000 MT ng sibuyas, ayon sa Department of Agriculture. | DZRH News pic.twitter.com/NooBOoDLul
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) January 10, 2023
According to the order, the country will import:
- Fresh yellow onion - 3,960 MT (monthly per capita consumption)
- Fresh red onions - 17,100 MT (monthly per capita consumption)
The DA has set the application for Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC) on January 9 to 13, 2023.
A total of 164 SPSIC will be issued to import fresh yellow onions while 326 SPSIC will be for fresh red onions.
According to the agriculture department, one SPSIC is for 25 MT of yellow onions, and two SPCICs are for 50 MT of red onions.
“All applications for SPSIC beyond the last day of issuance shall be rejected. Only those applications within the prescribed period shall be considered regardless if target volume was reached or not,” it said.
Once all importation permits are issued, the DA said all licensed onion importers have until January 27 only for their shipments to arrive in the country.
“Shipments arriving beyond the last day of arrival shall be invalid and BPI shall impose “return to origin” as final disposition for these shipments," it said.
The designated ports of entry are the Port of Manila-South Harbor, Port of Subic, Port of Cebu, Port of Davao, and Port of Cagayan de Oro.
