DA launches ORION program to revive onion industry

The Department of Agriculture will launch the Optimization and Resiliency in the Onion Industry Network or ORION Program to support onion farmers and increase domestic supply.

In a statement released by DA last January 31, it states that ORION seeks to promote a competitive resilient, and profitable onion industry providing high quality, safe, affordable, and sustainable onion supply to meet increasing domestic demand.

The program will assist farmers as it will provide credit loans to purchase equipment and establishment of facilities.

Innovative farming technologies will be pushed as well as value-adding processes to maximize production and income.

It also targets production and market integration by organizing farmer clusters and associations.

ORION will also lead regulatory activities and propel the creation of a national information database to make certain updated and relevant data on production and marketing.

It will be recalled that the price of onions went up to P800 last year despite the SRP of P250 per kilo due to the shortage in supply.