Onions are pricier than meat in the Philippines. They are so expensive that a bride named April Lyka Biorrey decided to replace the flowers in her wedding bouquet with red onions.
‘LUXURY’ BOUQUET. Instead of the traditional flowers, bride April Lyka Biorrey and her entourage used onions as bouquets during her wedding in Iloilo on Jan. 21. | via PGLena/PNA Iloilo 📸 RR Production pic.twitter.com/mZ7wWd1zf4
— Philippine News Agency (@pnagovph) January 24, 2023
The country is facing a national onion shortage as inflation hikes prices, with the average price of an onion being significantly higher than the global average since last September. Media reports suggest that the cost of onions has quadrupled over the last four months. They are so expensive that some have compared them to gold.
The cost of red onions, a staple ingredient in nearly all Filipino cuisine, has dramatically increased from around 70 pesos (equivalent to Rs 104.51) per kilogram in April to a high of 700 pesos (equivalent to Rs 1,045.26) in December. As of mid-January, there was a slight decrease in onion prices, but still, onions are a luxury for many.
The scarcity of onions and the subsequent price hikes are a result of billions of pesos worth of crops being destroyed by a series of typhoons in 2022. This, combined with global food, fuel, and fertilizer crises, pushed the country’s inflation rate to 8.1 percent in December 2022. Furthermore, food prices around the world have risen due to the war between Russia and Ukraine, which began in February 2022.
Lawmakers have also alleged potential overpricing and price manipulation of onions in the Philippines.
The shortage of onions has increased smuggling in the country. In December 2022, authorities found 50,000 kilograms of onions hidden among imported pastries and bread products. On January 22 and 23, customs officers seized nearly 9.5 million pesos worth of red onions at the Port of Zamboanga.
The surging price of onion has prompted countries to take measures to secure their supplies. Morocco, Turkey, and Kazakhstan have suspended their exports in response to the current crisis.