Prices of onions soared to P500 per kilo but it is expected to decline in January, Department of Agriculture deputy spokesperson Rex Estoperez said Tuesday.

This was a hefty increase from P300 per kilo in November.

“Right now, we are seeing a slightly not normal increase in the price (of agricultural products) because of the off-season and we do not want to tolerate smuggling,” Estoperez told the “Laging Handa” briefing.

“If we are going to rely on our local producers, it (the decline of prices)... will start during the peak season in January,” he added.

He said the DA does not plan to import onions.

“For now, we are not considering importing onions. We are being careful in issuing permits for importing onions because there might be smuggled onions right around the corner,” Estoperez said

Estoperez said they do not have a projection for the volume of onions to be harvested next year.

“We do not have a projection because we cannot estimate since we were just hit by a storm. For now, our onion farmers are also being careful because the cost of production is expensive,” he said. Jaspearl Tan/DMS