Senators weigh December onion import ban

PHILIPPINE SENATORS are considering tighter limits on onion imports, including a possible automatic ban every December, as lawmakers question the need for large import volumes despite near self‑sufficiency in local production.

During a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on Thursday, Senator Francis Pancratius N. Pangilinan cited Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showing the country has an onion self‑sufficiency rate of 92.4%.

Onion imports should be limited to what the country needs, Mr. Pangilinan said, arguing that excessive imports are contributing to falling farmgate prices and hurting local growers.

The Senate is probing the sharp decline in onion prices paid to farmers. Senator Lorna Regina “Loren” B. Legarda, who sponsored the resolution, proposed an automatic import ban every December to prevent market oversupply and protect farmers ahead of the peak harvest season from January to April.

PSA data presented at the hearing showed onion production at 308,661 metric tons (MT) in 2025, while imports reached 94,000 MT.

Senator Panfilo M. Lacson cited the Philippine Onion Industry Roadmap, which sets self‑sufficiency at 279,000 MT, arguing that imports might be unnecessary.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) disputed the figures. Assistant Secretary U‑Nichols A. Manalo said local output stood at 245,988 MT against annual consumption of 267,143 MT, leaving a deficit of up to 42,292 MT when seeds and waste are factored in. 

Mr. Lacson urged the PSA and DA to reconcile data, warning that inconsistent figures complicate policy decisions.

Jayson H. Cainglet, executive director of the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura, called for halting import clearances every December to shield local producers from foreign competition. — Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel