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Lawmakers seek creation of 'onion fund'

RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt=" Onions are sold at the Pasig City Mega Market on Jan. 25, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/01/26/20230125-onions-market-md-14.jpg"/><figcaption>Onions are sold at the Pasig City Mega Market on Jan. 25, 2023. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p><br/>MANILA -- Three senior lawmakers at the House of Representatives have filed a bill seeking the creation of an &quot;Onion Competitiveness Enhancement Fund&quot; following the congressional investigation into the alleged cartel in the local onion industry.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/05/17/23/govt-mulls-importing-8000-metric-tons-of-white-onions">Govt mulls importing 8,000 metric tons of white onions</a></li></ul><p>House Bill 8462 or the proposed Onion Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Act was filed by House Committee on Agriculture and Food chair Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga, House Appropriations Committee chair AKO Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, and Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/specials/the-onion-story">The Onion Story</a></li></ul><p>In their explanatory note, the lawmakers cited the high prices of onions in the country.</p><p>“In December of 2022, the retail prices of onions in the Philippines peaked at P500 to P800 per kilo, costing even more than meat. This put the country on the map with the &#x27;most expensive&#x27; onions in the world,&quot; they said.</p><p>While they conceded that an enhanced anti-cartel enforcement is the long-term solution to the high prices of onions, they said that short-term interventions are necessary, including the importation of onions.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/05/29/23/umanoy-pagkalusaw-ng-smuggled-na-sibuyas-iniimbestigahan">Umano&#x27;y pagkalusaw ng smuggled na sibuyas iniimbestigahan</a></li></ul><p>The lawmakers added that onion farmers will benefit entirely from the tariff revenues so they are proposing the Onion Competitiveness Enhancement Fund to support local farmers and boost their production efficiency.</p><p>“To help the onion industry compete globally, the State shall seek to raise farm productivity levels by providing the necessary support services such as, but not limited to, irrigation, farm-to-market roads, post-harvest equipment and cold storage facilities, credit, research and development, extension services, other market infrastructure and market information,&quot; the bill stated.</p><p>Under the bill, the entire proceeds from tariff revenues from the import of onions shall be set aside and earmarked by Congress for development and support programs to the benefit of Philippine onion farmers and the country&#x27;s onion industry.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/19/23/house-panel-eyes-raps-vs-sibuyas-queen-solon">House panel eyes raps vs &#x27;Sibuyas Queen&#x27; - solon</a></li></ul><p>These include support for onion farming inputs and equipment, production technology, farm gate price support, credit, crop protection, storage and cold storage facilities, extension services, market information dissemination and other forms of assistance.</p><p>The bill is pending before the House Committee on Agriculture and Food.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO </strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2683000" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

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Lawmakers seek creation of 'onion fund'

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 16, 2023 07:03 PM PHT

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