Onions now cost more than meat in the Philippines. As the country hits near-unprecedented levels of inflation sparked by natural disasters and a global fuel crisis, the pantry staple is in high demand at even higher prices. Since December 2022, people have been posting prices of onions online and even sharing how they’ve been able to bring onions in from abroad. The government has been cracking down on supposed "onion smuggling" as it attempts to bring prices down through imports.
The humble onion is being sold for as much as 600 Philippine pesos (10 euros) per kilogram, even higher than the daily minimum wage in the country, and far beyond the average global price of 1.50 euros per kilogram.
