THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said that the country will be importing thousands of metric tons of fresh red and yellow onions.

This will be used to ensure that there will be a sufficient supply of the agricultural commodity during the holiday season.

According to a statement from the DA, they said that they will be issuing Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC), in relation to the importation of fresh onions through the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).

“The volume to be imported for fresh red onion is 17,000 MT and for fresh yellow onion is 4,000 MT which will be sourced from China, India, and Netherlands,” the DA said.

Meanwhile, the DA said that the imported fresh onions are expected to arrive on or before December 31, 2023.

On the other hand, the deadline was set as a guarantee to local producers that the arrival of imports will not coincide with the upcoming harvest.