The first onion cold storage facility in Pampanga has opened in Barangay Cabalantian, Bacolor, giving local farmers a way to keep their harvest longer and avoid selling at low prices immediately after harvest.

The facility can store up to 20,000 sacks of onions and aims to preserve crop quality, reduce spoilage, and help farmers earn more from their produce. It is part of the Department of Agriculture’s Onion Expansion Program, which allocated P41.5 million to further develop Pampanga’s onion industry.

Bacolor Mayor Eduardo “Diman” Datu said the project was made possible through cooperation between the local government, the Department of Agriculture, and onion farmers.

“This is the first in Pampanga. Talagang tinrabaho po talaga natin ito with the DA and our farmers para magkaroon tayo ng storage facility. Bumuo tayo ng farmers’ association para magkaroon tayo ng cold storage facility sa tulong ng mga farmers. We did this for our farmers. Naniniwala ako na kaya nila,” Datu said.

According to the Department of Agriculture, onions can be stored for up to six months after harvest if kept under proper conditions.

The cold storage facility will allow onion growers to delay selling their harvest instead of accepting low farmgate prices during peak harvest season. Farmers can keep their onions in storage and release them when market prices improve.

Fidel Dumas, an onion grower, said the facility gives them more control over when to sell.

“Nung wala pa, binebenta namin sa mga traders… farmgate price. Kapag may storage na, hindi na kami nagbenta, in-storage na lang namin… siyempre may chance na tumaas,” Dumas said.

Bacolor currently has about 50 hectares planted with onions under the leadership of the Bacolor Onion Growers Association.

While Nueva Ecija is widely known as Central Luzon’s onion capital, Pampanga hopes to become one of the country’s leading producers of high-quality onions.

Governor Lilia Pineda said support from both the national and provincial governments should continue to strengthen the sector and encourage onion production in more areas.

“Yung suporta ng National Government at suporta namin sa provincial, dapat ibuhos namin lalo na sa inyong mga ortelano. Sinasabi ko sa Department of Agriculture na i-test na yung lupa ng ibang bayan tulad ng Porac, Lubao, at Floridablanca para dumami yung mga pananim natin ng sibuyas,” Pineda said.