No one’s chopping onions, but if the exorbitant prices of this staple good hasn’t driven you to tears, then this might: online sellers peddling smuggled — and potentially dangerous — bulbs.
The government has warned online onion sellers that they could face charges for helping spread illegally sourced onions in the market.
Rex Estoperez, deputy spokesperson of the Department of Agriculture (DA), said that the agency would also revoke the permits of these retailers found to be selling smuggled onions.
Estoperez said that the DA and the Bureau of Customs have been inspecting various ports and warehouses and have seized some 100,000 kilograms of white onions.
Although the DA initially thought about selling the confiscated onions in its government-run Kadiwa stores, which sell produce at lower prices, phytosanitary tests revealed that the vegetable were contaminated with E.coli, making them unsafe to consume.
Estoperez also advised the public to steer clear of illicit onions from online retailers as they could pose a serious health risk.
Although the government has not officially declared an onion shortage, it seems the high costs have driven consumers to seek other means to source them more cheaply, even if it means buying illegally acquired onions online. The DA’s latest monitoring sheet shows that red onions cost PHP300 (US$5.39) across Metro Manila markets.
