How onions became a luxury in the Philippines

According to official statistics, the price of onions surged in the Philippines to around USD$12.80 per kg last month.

That is more than the cost of meat, and the Southeast Asian country's daily minimum wage.

The staple ingredient in Filipino cuisine has become a symbol of the rising cost of living.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who is also the agriculture secretary earlier this month approved the import of red and yellow onions in an attempt to boost supply.

Onions have been so sought after that April Lyka Biorrey chose to carry a bouquet of the crop at her wedding in Iloilo City.

Biorrey asked her groom if they could use onions instead of flowers, since after the wedding the flowers would wilt and end up being thrown away.

Earlier this month, 10 crew members from Philippine Airlines were investigated for attempting to smuggle nearly 40kg of onions and fruits into luggage bags.

Source: BBC