If you’ve been to Au Bon Marché lately looking for onions, chances are you walked out disappointed. Shelves that used to be stacked with this kitchen essential now sit empty with a notice, and people are asking: What happened to our onions? After all, Au Bon Marché is Vanuatu’s main importer—and if they’re out of stock, the problem is bigger than just one store.

But while everyone’s pointing fingers at importers, maybe we should pause and ask: What happened to our local onion production?

Remember Epi?

Not too long ago, farmers on Epi Island, supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, harvested over 10 tonnes of onions. These onions were destined for Port Vila and Luganville, showing real promise in reducing our reliance on imports. There was even a proud handover from Epi farmers to a client—a symbolic moment that suggested we were on the right path.

So what happened?

Why are we still relying so heavily on imported onions when we proved we could grow our own?

The Reality: Promising Start, Poor Follow-Through

The answer might be a mix of factors:

1. Inconsistent Government Support
   Initial support from the Ministry of Agriculture gave farmers seeds and some training, but what happened after that? Without a long-term investment—storage facilities, transport logistics, reliable buyers—farmers can’t scale up or stay committed. It’s not enough to get a few good harvests; we need a whole ecosystem that supports farming from soil to supermarket.
2. Human Resource Drain: RSE & SWP
   Let’s be honest—many of our most hardworking young people have gone to Australia and New Zealand through the RSE and SWP schemes. It’s good money for families, yes. But the side effect is clear: fewer hands on the land, fewer people growing our food.
3. Market and Infrastructure Gaps
   Even if Epi produces another 10 tonnes, do we have the cold chain logistics to move that to Efate or Santo efficiently? Do we have proper marketing and price support for local onions to compete with cheaper imports? Without answering these questions, we keep setting our farmers up to fail.

A Fork in the Road

This onion shortage is not just about one vegetable. It’s a warning. A country that can’t feed itself is a country that is vulnerable.

We’ve tasted success in local production. We’ve seen Epi do it. So why not scale it? Why not make that the rule, not the exception?

If we don’t start investing seriously in agriculture—not just with words, but with funding, logistics, and long-term commitment—this won’t be the last time we ask “where are the onions?”

It’s time we choose food sovereignty. Not just for onions, but for our future.