A technical working group (TWG) at the Department of Agriculture (DA) is assessing the commitment of the Metrobank Foundation Inc.’s (MBFI) to establish a P25 million onion cold storage facility.
DA Special Order 1403-2023 signed by Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. will guide the completion of the project the MBFI proposed to the DA via its Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS).
The TWG will collect relevant data and facilitate information sharing, including best practices, lessons learned and research findings and ensure coherence in linking project activities with similar initiatives implemented by the government, non-government and private sector agencies.
The TWG will be chaired by DA officer-in-charge undersecretary for operations Roger Navarro with DA-AMAS director Junibert De Sagun.
Other members include heads of DA Central Office’s AMAS, Field Operations Services, High Value Crops Development Program, Bureau of Plant Industry and the Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering.
Heads of DA regional field offices in Ilocos, Central Luzon and Mimaropa, particularly the divisions of agribusiness and marketing assistance, field operations and regional agricultural engineering, will also be part of the TWG.
Earlier, the DA said construction of additional cold storages focused on onions will help make the crop’s local supply available all year round to avoid price spikes during offseason and wastage during the harvest season.
Based on DA monitoring of public markets in the National Capital Region, onions retail from P100 to P200 per kilogram of red onion, P100 to P140 per kilogram of white onion and P80 to P180 per kilogram of imported white onion. The price of imported red onion is not available.
The Philippines produced 482,066.12 metric tons of mature bulb, bermuda and native onions last year.
Of this volume, the Ilocos, Central Luzon and Mimaropa collectively produced 462,848.62 MT or 96 percent of the country’s total onion production.
