Philippines suspends onion imports

January 19, 2024 - 2:34 PM
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A vendor is seen selling red onions for P500 per kilo at a public market in Marikina City on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022 (Jesse Bustos/The Philippine STAR)

The Philippines‘ agriculture ministry said on Friday it has ordered the suspension of onion imports until May, to protect domestic farmers.

The ban can be extended up to July depending on domestic harvest of the high value crop, the ministry said in a statement.

A supply glut in the Philippines has significantly pushed down prices of onions over the past year, according to government data.

 Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor