00:00Twelve importers and traders of onions were charged by the Philippine Competition Commission or PCC
00:06for joining the cartel because of the price increase of onions.
00:09Clay Zepardillas with the report.
00:14In an administrative search conducted by the Philippine Competition Commission in a business in September 2023,
00:22the cartel of onions joined the 12 importers and traders.
00:28The sensitive information of the businessmen changed to control and manipulate the supply and price of onions.
00:36These entities that are involved are really talking to each other.
00:41We saw it in the emails, in the exchange of communication,
00:46who are their suppliers, when will the shipment arrive,
00:50how many SPSICs will they apply,
00:54when will the imports arrive, and what is the volume.
00:58The cartel started in 2019 and lasted until 2023.
01:04It is said that this is related to the onion crisis of 2022,
01:08when the price of onions increased to more than Php 700.
01:13They contributed because all cartels, when they are there,
01:17the effect is that the price increases or the volume that circulates in the market decreases.
01:24So that is the real harm that the cartel is causing.
01:28The Philippine Competition Act Section 14 filed a case against the 12 importers and traders.
01:36They were fined more than Php 2 billion.
01:40The Department of Agriculture said that even if the registration of some importers and traders does not pass,
01:46they are already under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Plant Industry,
01:49the agency that provides allocations for the importation of agricultural products.
01:54If they are doing an unfair trade previously,
01:59we can avoid the collusion because if there is a collusion,
02:05the problem is that even if there is an importation, the price will not go down.
02:09According to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.,
02:13the DA assured that the cartel, hoarding and smuggling will be strictly monitored
02:19so that the supply and stable price of agricultural products will be sufficient.
02:25Kelly Zalpardilla for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.
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