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'Wag ura-urada': Imee urges DA to rethink timing of onion importation

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Joyce Balancio, ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Sen. Imee Marcos on Monday urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) to study carefully the timing of the possible importation of onions in the country amid the skyrocketing prices of the product.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/01/09/23/agri-says-seeking-to-help-farmers-reduce-onion-prices">Agri dept says seeking ways to help farmers bring down onion prices</a></li></ul><p>The sister of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued the statement after DA Deputy Spokesperson Rex Estoperez said that if the price of onion would continue to rise, they might be forced to resort to importation as a “band-aid solution.”</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/01/09/23/onion-prices-may-drop-by-feb-group">Onion prices may drop by February: group</a></li></ul><p>“Pansamantala lang ang gusto ng DA na import muli. Ang takot ko naman, baka sa dami ng inimport, tamang tama na naman ito sa ani ng ating magsasaka, babagsak na naman ang presyo,” Marcos told reporters after attending the Minasa Festival in Bustos, Bulacan. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/01/06/23/presyo-ng-sibuyas-malabo-pang-bumaba-da">Presyo ng sibuyas, malabo pang bumaba: Department of Agriculture</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Hindi ito pwede ng ura-urada. Alam naman nila ang kinakailangan sibuyas sa buong taon, ilan talaga ang toto. Huwag naman ang labis labis,” she added. </p><p>Marcos said she already told the president, who also heads the DA, to reassess the timing of any importation plan.</p><p>“Yes, alam na rin niya iyan na talagang ang DA kinakailangan mag-planning nang maigi. Hindi pwede ang ganyan na ura-urada na ‘ay may kulang’, tapos mag-iimport,” she said. </p><p>The DA had reported that onions had been sold up to P500 per kilo in some markets recently.</p><p>Addressing this, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) issued a suggested retail price bulletin (SRP) of P250 per kilo for onions, and the DA warned of stricter penalties against those who will not comply with this. </p><p>Meanwhile, Sen. Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the Senate panel on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, said a cartel is purportedly behind the high prices of onion.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/01/05/23/veggie-prices-seen-to-ease-with-onion-harvest-season">Vegetable prices seen to ease due to onion harvest season in Jan, lower fertilizer cost</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Sa onion kasi, naimbestigahan na namin yan. Since 2013, talagang may onion cartel... Kaya nagke-create minsan sila ng artificial demand para mai-increase nila ang demand, kasi nasa kanila lahat ng supply. Kaya yun ang dapat nating i-solve na hindi mangyayari yun,&quot; Villar said.</p><p>She said she is not against the idea of importation as a &quot;temporary solution&quot; to the issue.</p><div><strong>— With a report from Robert Mano, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED NEWS</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E67VnRWEDGU?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></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>

Sen. Imee Marcos said she already told her brother Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to reassess the timing of any plan to import onions. 

'Wag ura-urada': Imee urges DA to rethink timing of onion importation

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'Wag ura-urada': Imee urges DA to rethink timing of onion importation

Joyce Balancio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 09, 2023 06:50 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

senator

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Imee Marcos

cynthia Villar

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importation

onion importation

Department of Agriculture

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