Onion prices in local markets have dropped as harvest season continues in parts of Luzon, giving consumers relief but prompting traders to limit their stocks.

At the Mangaldan Public Market, red onion now sells for P90 to P100 per kilo, while the price of white onion ranges from P70 to P80 per kilo as of February 18, 2026.

Ernesto Aquino, an onion vendor who sources his goods from the Urdaneta City trading post, said he only buys eight to 10 sacks at a time and avoids stocking too much due to unstable prices.

“Mahirap kasi kapag biglang bumaba ang presyo, kami ang mahihirapan, kami ang malulugi,” Aquino said.

Consumers like Charlie Quiatcho, meanwhile, welcomed the decrease in prices.

“Lalo na kaming maramihan kung bumili, mas okey sa amin na mura na ang presyo,” Quiatcho said.

The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) said about eight to 10 percent of onion farms in Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija have started harvesting. With continuous harvesting, price adjustments are considered normal.

SINAG said that given the current low farmgate prices, red onion should retail at around P60 to P70 per kilo in markets.

Although some onion farms were affected by calamities in the last quarter of 2025, the group said it does not see any supply problem in the first and second quarters of 2026.

“Hopefully, kasi, may mga nag-replant noong nagka problema noong October-November, kaya hopefully makuha pa rin natin ang target natin,” SINAG Chairman Engr. Rosendo So, said.

Aside from onions, the price of siling labuyo has also dropped sharply. From P700 per kilo in previous months, it now sells for about P100 per kilo.