Probe of onion cartel sought

A SENATOR has filed a resolution calling on the Senate to investigate the surge of imports and alleged cartel practices by traders, which have pushed onion farmgate prices higher.

Senate Resolution No. 344, filed by Senator Lorna Regina B. Legarda, calls on the chamber to investigate the alleged import overlaps, cold storage guidelines, and cartel-driven distortions affecting onion prices.

The resolution also seeks to probe the proliferation of illegal onion imports, along with directing agencies to ban onion importation amid “predatory pricing.”

Ms. Legarda also called for a full audit on the value chain to trace profit margins of cold storage operators and wholesalers, review storage capacities in Nueva Ecija and Occidental Mindoro, examine anomalous shipments in Bulacan, and review other onion-producing areas for irregularities.

“If we do not dismantle the monopoly over cold storage and import permits, this crisis will repeat every year. Government must buy directly from farmers and build farmer-managed storage facilities so they can compete fairly,” she said.

She added that the government must ban imports every December, to avoid potential surplus during peak harvest season.

“Why allow importation at the height of harvest?” she asked. “The result is farmgate prices collapsing while market prices remain high. Traders profit, but farmers are left behind.” — Adrian H. Halili