The inflow of imported onion from Vietnam and Thailand to a number of traditional markets in the district had caused onion price to plunge at the expense of local onion growers, Masruchi Bahro, chief of the Brebes district chapter of HKTI, said here on Saturday.
"Right now great quantities of imported onion are being kept at a number of warehouses along Central Java`s northern coastal highway. The imported onion is ready to be marketed so it will do harm the local onion growers," he said.
Brebes is known as one of the country`s onion-producing districts.
Imported onion that had flooded the local market since the past a few weeks had sent onion price falling to Rp17,000 a kg from Rp20,000 a kg previously, he said.
"Imported onion is cheaper than local onion. Therefore, we ask the Brebes district administration to stop the circulation of imported onion to allow local onion growers enjoy the fruit of their production," he said.
While admitting that the flow of imported onion to the local market was the result of free trade market, he said the government must make an effort to resolve it. As such, local onion growers would not continue to suffer losses.
The inflow of imported onion posed a heavy challenge for local farmers to lower their production cost, he said.
"That is why the Brebes district government must not only stop the circulation of imported onion but also assist local onion growers in obtaining seeds which have so far posed a problem," he said. (*)
S012/HAJM
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
