Onion farmers seek
stop to importation

BONGABON, Nueva Ecija - At least two farmer organizations in Nueva Ecija have demanded immediate action from the government in connection with the unabated importation of onion that cripples the local industry.

Members of the Samahang Magbubukid ng Nueva Ecija and the Association (SMNE) and the Association ng Maliliit na Magbubukid (AMM) urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) to put a stop on the importation that result to the flooding of bulbs in the local market, being sold at prices "much lower than the locally produced" ones.

The complaint, they said, has been filed as early as September last year. They questioned the issuance of an unprecedented number of onion import permits but the agency has yet to act on it.

China appears to be the most common source of importation onions, it was learned.

The farmers, mostly from this town known as the onion basket of the Philippines, said their livelihood is being jeopardized by the importation despite sufficient local production.

"Hindi na talaga kailangang mag-import dahil marami tayong inaani dito at sapat na," said one farmer.

Reports said that the unabated importation is being done by some unscrupulous businessmen by recycling permits issued by the government.

Onion farming is the second largest agriculture business in Nueva Ecija, next only to rice farming. - Jojo de Guzman