DA sets SRP of imported red onions at P125 per kilo

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has set the suggested retail price (SRP) of imported red onions at P125 per kilo which will take effect on Wednesday, February 8, DA Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista said Monday.

Evangelista said the P125 per kilo SRP was reached after a stakeholders meeting attended by importers, traders, and retailers.

“Doon po napagkasunduan na i-re-rekomenda ang P125 per kilo for red onions na imported. Ito naman po ay inabprubahan na,” Evangelista said.

(We agreed to set the SRP at P125 per kilo of imported red onions and this was approved.)

“Aside from that, we also are linking retailers to  wholesalers of imported red onions to inform them of the cost structure we made so that they will be well-guided, for them to be able to negotiate with their suppliers. At the same time, we have identified some suppliers who are willing to sell wholesale to retailers in compliance with the SRP,” she added.

The DA official said among the factors considered in determining the P125 SRP for imported red onions include:  importer’s price, including expenses after landed cost which is around P77 and wholesaler’s price.

“Nakipag-usap po tayo do’n sa mga wholesaler sa Divisoria…so ina-average na lang po natin ‘yan…With that we came up with a price na P125 at ito naman po ay sinang ayunan ng ating mga retailers,” she pointed out.

(We talked with wholesalers from Divisoria [market], so we averaged it. We came up with p125 per kilo and retailers agreed with that amount.)

“Right now, we are looking at NCR, kasi po yong mga identified nating wholesaler ay nandito po sa NCR. We will be talking also to our regional field offices kung pareho rin po ang approach,” she added.

(We’ll see if we can use the same approach for the regions.)

Evangelista said that the policy will be in effect starting Wednesday this week to give more time both for the government and the stakeholders to be informed of the said SRP.

The DA official said the agency has reached out to the Department and the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Local Price Coordinating Council to help in information dissemination and monitoring the said SRP implementation.

Evangelista, however, said setting SRP for locally produced onions is not on the table just yet.

“For now, we won’t be implementing SRP on local onions. We are focused on imported red onions,” she said.

The DA earlier said that at least 3,500 metric tons of imported onions have been delivered to the country so far. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News