The Department of Agriculture (DA) has ordered the importation of onions and carrots at a limited volume to stabilize volatile market prices and prevent potential supply hoarding, Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Friday.
The DA cleared imports of up to 5,000 metric tons (MT) of onions and a few hundred tons of carrots, which will offer consumers temporary relief from price surges that have strained household budgets, Tiu Laurel said.
“I have a feeling that the current local stocks are being held back a bit to maximize,” Tiu Laurel said, referring to domestic onion supplies.
“That’s why I ordered silently to import last week,” he said.
The move advances the DA’s import schedule for red onions after retail prices surged to P140 to P160 per kilograms in recent weeks. Imports of white onions began in September, which Tiu Laurel said helped bring down retail prices to P100 to P120 per kg. from a peak of P160.
Carrot imports were opened on Oct. 1 on a limited basis, with a few hundred tons initially allowed to test market response.
“Because the carrots really went up, thus we want to diversify our sourcing,” Tiu Laurel said, adding that the DA aims to prevent vegetables from becoming unaffordable for ordinary buyers.
Onion imports, expected from China and the Netherlands, will be temporary and are set to end by January 2026, a month ahead of the local harvest in February to protect domestic farmers.
Carrot imports, sourced from China on a trial basis, the Netherlands and Australia, could be extended depending on price movements.
The DA is also exploring Cambodia as a new supplier to reduce reliance on China.
“We cannot be too reliant on China for obvious reasons,” Tiu Laurel said, noting that diversifying import sources is part of the DA’s broader strategy to balance farmer protection, consumer welfare, and market stability.
