MANILA — Malacañang announced on Wednesday amid continuing high prices of the agricultural commodity that the government has allocated nearly P327 million to boost onion production in the Philippines this year.
In a statement, Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said the Department of Agriculture (DA), through its high value crops development program, allotted P326.97 million for various interventions for the onion industry.
A total of P69.949 million has been earmarked for onion production support services, including provision of seeds, seedlings and other farm inputs; P3.2 million for irrigation network facilities and P1.9 million for extension support, education and training.
The DA also allocated P6.486 million for farm production-related machinery and equipment distribution; P2.359 million for production facilities and P2.5 million for post-harvest and processing equipment and machinery distribution.
Garafil said seven onion cold storage facilities worth P240.575 million would be established this year in key production areas. The storage facilities can accommodate up to 10,000 bags and are expected to benefit the Pangasinan Onion Growers Association in Umingan, Pangasinan and the Federation of Aritao Farmers Onion, Garlic and Ginger Association in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya.
The New Hermosa Farmers Association in Hermosa, Bataan; the Nagkakaisang Magsasaka Agricultural multi-purpose cooperative in Talavera, Nueva Ecija and the Valiant Primary Multipurpose Cooperative in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija will also receive 20,000-bag capacity cold storage facilities, Garafil said.
The government will also award 20,000-bag capacity cold storage facilities to the Salvacion United Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative and the Samahang Gumagawa Tungong Tagumpay Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Rizal and Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro.
Garafil said 10 farmers’ cooperatives and associations from the Mimaropa region received a P40-million financial grant through the agriculture department’s Enhanced Kadiwa: Sagip Sibuyas Project.
The project, which allows beneficiaries to use up to P5 million to cover the costs of buying onions directly from farmers, hauling and delivery to markets and cold storage facilities and storage rental, served more than 7,800 farmer cooperatives and associations, she added.
Garafil said Region 4B (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan or Mimaropa) is also a beneficiary of the Kadiwa food mobilization program in which the DA buys produce from areas with surplus yield to transport them to places with high demand, including Metro Manila.
The Marcos administration recently approved the importation of 21,060 metric tons of onions to increase the supply of the agricultural commodity and to lower their prices in the market.
President Marcos has vowed to undertake a program that would boost the production of onion farmers. He cited the need to expand the area where onions are planted, provide inputs to farmers and establish cold chain facilities to preserve the agricultural goods.
