RAMPANT sale of smuggled onions online causes Filipino farmers to lose between P10K to P15K income per month.

This was revealed by AGRI Party-list Representative Wilbert Lee yesterday in a press conference.

“Nalulugi ang ating farmers ng P10,000 to P15,000 per month per hectare. Kung dati kumikita sila ng ganito, ngayon nalulugi na sila dahil nga po sa mga nangyayari ganito,” Lee said.

The lawmaker said they have been receiving complaints from consumers about the bad quality of onions they purchased online .

“The Bureau of Plant and Industry ( BPI) also found out that some of the smuggled onions have E. coli, posing danger to the health of Filipino consumers,” said Lee.

He explained that he cannot blame the consumers as onions online are sold cheaper than the local onions sold in the markets which cost between P50 to P150 a kilo.

But he warned Filipino consumers of the health risks of patronizing smuggled onions as they do not have sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances.

Smuggled onions can be purchased online for as low as P20 per kilo, which is way cheaper than local onions in the market.

For his part, BPI Director Glenn Panganiban said the Department of Agriculture is now coordinating with different agencies to crack down online sellers of smuggled onions and other agricultural products.

Lee has filed House Resolution 1600 requesting that the chamber’s proper committee investigate the online selling of illicit agricultural products which deprives local farms of income and endangers public health.

Lee also pushed for the amendment of Republic Act No. 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016 to impose harsher penalties on agricultural smugglers, hoarders, price manipulators, cartels, and government officials and employees that commit this crime.

Under the proposed law, any individual who engages in smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, cartelizing, and other acts of market abuse shall face a punishment of up to life imprisonment and a fine of up to six times the fair market value, as well as the amount of taxes, tariffs, and other charges evaded.

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Arlene Rivera