Sugar producers from Negros Occidental(the country’s sugar capital) is asking the Sugar Regulatory Administration to scale down sugar imports to 50,000 tons as agreed upon earlier and not 200,000 tons as ordered by SRA, which would be disastrous to the sugar industry.
Sugarcane planters in Negros Occidental under the group Asociacion de Agricultores de La Carlota y Pontevedra, Inc. (AALCPI) said that the government’s plan to import 200,000 metric tons (MT) of sugar should be scaled down to 50,000 MT, the volume previously agreed with the government during consultations.
“Right now, we have enough supply, milling is ongoing so what balancing act between supply and demand is (Administrator Hermenegildo) Serafica talking about. An initial order of 50,000 MT as suggested by industry stakeholders would suffice,” AALCPI President Roberto J. Cuenca said.
Serafica earlier defended his recommendation to import 200,000 tons of 50 kilo bags of sugar against the industry’s claims of sufficient stocks until the milling season. (See story: Sugar agency defends need to import 200,000 tons )
Because of this import plan, on February 6, the United Sugar Producers Federation questioned the decision to import and called for Serafica’s resignation.
The SRA reported that the Philippine Association of Sugar Refineries revised its refined sugar production forecast for crop year 2021 to 2022 to 16.748 million LKg (50 kilogram bag of sugar) down from the initial estimate of 17.572 million LKg before typhoon Odette (international name: Rai). See related story: From world exporter to importer: PH now plans to import 200K tons of sugar )
Cuenca said that during consultations with the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), producers agreed to imports in tranches of 50,000 MT towards the close of the milling season.
AALCPI added that 200,000 MT is “too big and definitely should not have been granted at this time.”
Disastrous
“(This) will have a disastrous effect in the sugar industry, particularly among the small sugar producers. We were never informed and yet Serafica knows we are the biggest group in so far as membership is concerned, and mostly of small sugar farmers,” it added.
Signed on Feb. 2, Sugar Order No. 3 authorizes imports of 200,000 MT of sugar to stabilize rising prices and augment supply in typhoon-hit areas, Business World reported.
“Serafica also knows we are in the midst of milling season and any importation order now will have a ripple effect,” Cuenca said.
“He should take time to consult small farmers so he can personally hear their appeals as many cannot afford to even replant for the next crop year if this situation continues,” he added.
Tags: #SRA, #sugarcaneproducers, #NegrosOccidental, #50,000tonsimportsonly