Bureau of Plant Industry vows reforms to fight onion price manipulation

The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), a government agency under the Department of Agriculture (DA), has vowed to implement reforms to prevent price manipulation of onions, House Speaker Martin Romualdez said Tuesday.

The BPI made the commitment after its officials met with Romualdez, House appropriations panel senior vice chairperson Stella Quimbo, and House agriculture and food panel chairperson Mark Enverga, five days after Quimbo and Enverga said that an onion cartel exists and that it would not thrive without the help of some in the government. 

“During the meeting, BPI Director [Glenn] Panganiban committed to submit in writing to Speaker Romualdez, within the week, the policy reforms the BPI will adopt to prevent price manipulation of agricultural products, specifically onions,” a statement from Romualdez’s office read.

“Among these reforms, which were discussed during the congressional probe on onion, include the following: opening up onion importation to prevent certain traders from cornering supply, frontloading aid to farmers to encourage production, the possibility of suspending importation during harvest season and review of existing tariff rates on imported onions to protect local farmers,” the statement added.

As this developed, Romualdez said the House will pursue prosecution of those involved in the alleged cartel, profiteers—including local traders and other players in the onion industry—who continue to take advantage of the consumers.

“Those who are part of the solution...we will help [them]. [But] those who are part of the problem, we will not tolerate [them]. We will go after them and make the proper recommendation for prosecution,” Romualdez added.

The House agriculture and food panel has conducted an inquiry into the sudden spike of onion prices in the last quarter of 2022, a surge that even reached as much as P700 per kilo. It is expected to announce its recommendations as a result of the inquiry in two weeks.

Quimbo, citing public records, earlier questioned why the BPI granted majority of onion import permits in 2022 to three firms with connections to a company called PhilVieva, which the lawmaker links to the illegal activities.

“These three are the biggest importers of yellow onions in 2022 with a total volume of at least 5,445 metric tons... which is 68.74% of the total imported volume," Quimbo said in an earlier press conference.

"These same entities also imported 7,648 metric tons of red onions in 2022 which is 41.02% of total imported volume. It is clear that Cruz is still importing onions despite her denials,” she added.

The DA is headed by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. — BM, GMA Integrated News