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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Develop PH sugar industry, Gordon prods gov't

Develop PH sugar industry, Gordon prods gov't

Published Apr 9, 2022 03:17 pm

Following a proposal by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to import sugar, Senator Richard Gordon has pitched for the development of the Philippine sugar industry and to help farmers earn more through innovation.

“ palakasin ang capability at capacity ng ating sugar farmers para lumakas ang kanilang produkto at mabigyan sila ng tamang presyo na hindi naman masyadong mataas at magsu-suffer ang consumers (The capability and capacity of our sugar farmers should be strengthened so that their products would be given the right price and that consumers should not suffer). The balance must be made na hindi dapat mag-import (so there will be no need to import),” Gordon explained in an interview by a local radio station in Bacolod.

“Maraming sugar sa Negros pero wala akong nakikitang candy factory (There is plenty of sugar here in Negros but I don’t see candy factories). Dapat iyong ating sugar products, nagagamit natin para magkaroon ng value added iyong mga sugar planter natin (There should be ways of using our sugar to create value-added products for our sugar planters),” he added.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), more than 50 percent of sugar production in the country comes from the Negros Island.

Led by the United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED), sugar producers had recently expressed alarm over Sugar Order No. 4 issued by the SRA on April 5 that seeks to bring in 350,000 metric tons of raw and refined sugar in the country.

Last February, Agriculture Secretary William Dar defended the government’s move to allow importation of sugar and said that the decision was based on the data showing deficiencies in some commodities including sugar.

 However, Gordon stressed that the plan to import such product will make the sugar farmers suffer.

“Hindi natin namamalayan na talagang nahihirapan ang mga tao natin at dapat iyan ay pigilan na talaga (Without our knowing it, our people are hurting). Dapat hindi natin pabayaan ang sugar industry (We should not neglect our sugar industry). Anumang bansa ay talagang pino-proteksyunan ang mga farmers ng gobyerno (Any country protects its farmers),” he said.

As a strong supporter of the sugar industry, Gordon has co-authored Senate Resolution (SR) 22 which urges the President not to adopt a liberalization policy for the sugar sector in order to safeguard the interest of more than 84,000 sugar farmers and 720,000 industry workers.

The Resolution was transmitted to the Office of the President on November 14, 2019.

“Ang importante diyan ay iyong work ethic at iyong trabaho ng mga sugar farmer na nagtatanim sila para makapaglagay tayo ng produkto sa market (What is important is your work ethic and the work of sugar farmers to put your produce in the market),’’ Gordon said.

Kung kailangang pagbigyan naman ang sugar industry na makabawi sa presyong tama sapagkat sila ang nagsu-supply ng sugar sa bayan, bakit hindi natin tulungan? (If we allow the sugar industry to recoup their losses because they supply sugar to the country, why shouldn’t we?)" Gordon asked.

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