Senators peel off the issue of conflicting data on onion production
During a Senate agriculture panel hearing, senators raised serious questions about the government's conflicting data on national onion production. While the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported a surplus of 308,661 metric tons in 2025 against a 267,000 mt consumption need, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported a deficit. This discrepancy, especially with 94,000 mt of onion imports in 2025, has led to calls for accountability regarding the onion price crash and import overlap.
During a Senate committee on agriculture and food hearing held on March 26, 2026, in Nueva Ecija, senators raised serious concerns about conflicting government data on onion production and its impact on farmers. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the Philippines produced 308,661 metric tons (mt) of onions in 2025, which exceeded the national consumption requirement of 267,000 mt, suggesting a surplus. However, Senator Panfilo Lacson cited PSA data showing 264,000 mt production in 2024, which he argued made the country nearly self-sufficient and rendered the 94,000 mt of onion imports in 2025 excessive and harmful to local farmers.
The hearing was prompted by Senator Loren Legarda, who filed Senate Resolution 344 on March 12, 2026, calling for accountability regarding the onion price crash and import overlap. Legarda highlighted that despite strong harvests in Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan, farm-gate prices had plummeted from ₱120-150 per kilogram in January to ₱30-40 per kilogram for red onions and ₱25 per kilogram for white onions by February, while retail prices in Metro Manila remained high. This price collapse occurred despite production costs reaching ₱400,000 per hectare and break-even prices of ₱40-50 per kilogram for red onions.
Key senators involved included Loren Legarda, who led the call for the investigation, and Panfilo Lacson, who questioned the data discrepancies. The Department of Agriculture (DA) faced scrutiny for allowing 94,000 mt of onion imports in 2025 despite reported surpluses, with senators questioning whether this contributed to the price crash. The hearing also examined issues of cold storage shortages (with 82% capacity used), potential cartel activities, and flaws in the agricultural value chain.
Official statements from the hearing revealed that Food Terminal Inc. had begun buying onions in Nueva Ecija to stabilize prices, while the DA denied that imports directly caused the price drop, attributing it instead to supply glut and storage limitations. The consequences included calls for import bans from December, value chain audits, storage reviews in Nueva Ecija and Occidental Mindoro, and direct government purchases to support struggling farmers. The hearing underscored the need for better coordination between the PSA and DA in agricultural data collection and policy formulation to prevent similar crises in the future.
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