Agriculture Secretary orders inspection of onion warehouses amid price manipulation concerns

DAVAO CITY – Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has directed the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) to inspect all onion warehouses nationwide amid concerns that newly harvested onions are being withheld from the market, potentially leading to price manipulation and hoarding.

With onion harvests expected to begin this month, the influx of fresh supply should have helped stabilize prices. However, Tiu Laurel suspects some traders may deliberately keep stocks in cold storage instead of selling them immediately.

“Last Friday, I directed the Bureau of Plant Industry and its team to visit all onion cold storage facilities across the country and inspect whether newly harvested onions are being kept there instead of being sold,” he said in a statement on Monday.

“If they are, that’s wrong. Onions are typically stored toward the middle or end of the harvest season, not at the start. This clearly points to price manipulation—it’s hoarding.”

Under Philippine trade laws, hoarding and price manipulation are punishable offenses.

Inspection to Be Completed in a Week

Tiu Laurel estimates that the BPI inspection will be completed within four to seven days, with an official report expected by the end of the week.

Earlier this month, the Department of Agriculture (DA) approved the importation of 3,000 metric tons of red onions and 1,000 metric tons of white onions to offset a projected shortage before the harvest season. However, despite these measures, onion prices remain high.

Current Market Prices and Supply Forecast. Based on the latest DA price monitoring:

• Red onions are being sold at ₱140 to ₱240 per kilo.
• White onions range from ₱130 to ₱150 per kilo.

A month ago, the prevailing price of red onions was at ₱140 per kilo, but has now surged to ₱200 per kilo in some areas.

The BPI earlier projected that the early harvest would add several metric tons to the supply, with an estimated 33,000 tons expected by March.

The DA’s latest move signals a crackdown on potential hoarding and illegal trade practices in the onion industry. The findings from the BPI inspections will determine whether traders deliberately restrict supply, contributing to the artificial inflation of onion prices.

The DA vows to take action against those manipulating market prices and ensure that fresh produce reaches consumers at fair and reasonable prices.