Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri is calling on the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to suspend another round of sugar importation which has supposedly been already scheduled despite injunction orders from the courts.

Zubiri made the appeal, Thursday, saying local sugar farmers sought for his assistance after finding out that the recent SRA proposal would allow the importation of a whooping 350,000 metric tons of sugar.

"Our courts have already landed on the side of our sugar farmers last February, so it's disheartening that we are having the same conversation about importation again," the reelectionist senator said.

According to Zubiri, SRA should not allow this to happen while local farmers do not fall short in harvesting their produce every season.

"Lest the SRA will be accused of this being a midnight deal bereft of propriety and due process," he warned.

In February, two courts in Negros Occidental issued separate preliminary injunctions against the importation of 200,000 metric tons of sugar under Sugar Order No. 3, with one of them even recognized "the grave and irreparable injury will result from the implementation of SRA Sugar No. 3." However, the court order did not materialize.

Zubiri said: "I would hope that these injunctions have prompted the SRA to reconsider the harm that their importation programs would inflict on our local sugar farmers."

The lawmaker also called on the Department of Agriculture Sec. William Dar to pay attention to the woes of local sugar industries.

"Let us be on the side of our farmers. The proposed 350,000 MT importation deal will put them at a gross disadvantage, and leave them completely unable to recover from the setbacks already imposed by the pandemic and the skyrocketing fertilizer prices."

Zubiri said that instead of importing, the government must focus "on delivering much-needed assistance to our farmers."

"Let us find ways to boost local production not just of crops, but of fertilizers as well," he added.