With the onion harvest season nearing, Senator Francis Pangilinan urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to step up anti-smuggling operations to protect local farmers and prevent price manipulation.
Pangilinan warned that smuggled onions flooding the market during harvest periods have long driven down farmgate prices, hurting Filipino growers, while hoarding and cartel activities trigger price spikes that burden consumers.
“Bilang nalalapit na ang harvest season ng sibuyas, dapat nating tiyakin na protektado ang ating mga magsasaka laban sa hindi patas na kompetisyon sa mga imported at smuggled na sibuyas,” he said, citing risks of hoarding and market manipulation by onion cartels.
“The illegal entry of agricultural produce at this critical time defeats the purpose of supporting local agricultural production and jeopardizes the livelihood of our farmers,” he added.
The senator called for tighter port monitoring and stronger inter-agency coordination as harvest season runs from February to May, when smugglers typically time illegal shipments.
Earlier this year, the DA and BOC intercepted 34 metric tons of smuggled white onions from China worth about P4.1 million, which tested positive for heavy metals and salmonella. Another 25 metric tons of illegal red onions were seized in Misamis Oriental in June.
Pangilinan also urged the DA to avoid unnecessary import permits during peak harvest and pressed the BOC to crack down on syndicates exploiting seasonal demand, stressing that strong border controls are key to stabilizing prices and protecting farmers’ incomes.IMT
