Manila Bulletin
Philippines
National
SRA pushes for block farming to improve sugar production, attain PH self-sufficiency
Philippines
National
SRA pushes for block farming to improve sugar production, attain PH self-sufficiency
SRA pushes for block farming to improve sugar production, attain PH self-sufficiency
Published May 31, 2023 07:05 am
The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is pushing for the block farming of sugar cane in the country in a bid to increase sugar production in the country.
SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said the plan is to consolidate as many sugar farmers for a block farm of at least 30 hectares to maximize sugar production that may eventually lead to sugar sufficiency of the Philippines.
“We have been trying to group them into a block farm of 30 hectares or more. In this way, we can modernize, we can give them equipment and we can give them assistance,” said Azcona during the Public Briefing.
He explained that this strategy has been effective in other countries and actually backed by SRA’s own study.
Currently, 90 percent of sugarcane farmers are engaged in farming one to two hectares of land.
Citing SRA tests in the past, Azcona said the block farm strategy was found to increase the production of sugar by five to 10 tons per hectare of sugar cane.
He added that block farming is also ideal in terms of sustainability of government support, especially that the government is now providing high-yielding varieties to the local farmers.
Self-sufficiency
Local farmers are currently producing around 1.8 million metric tons every year while the demand is at 2.3 million. This forces the government to import sugar, both to ensure supply and contain the balance price in the market.
The government has earlier allowed the importation of 440,000 metric tons of sugar and approved the importation of 250,000 metric tons more to ensure enough supply until the end of the year.
“We need to produce about 2.4 to 2.5 million metric tons po to be called self-sufficient. So our thrust is really how to make the farmers improve their production,” said Azcona.
“That’s why we need to consolidate the small farmers into cooperatives and give them all the assistance that they need,” he added.
Delayed milling
As another strategy to ensure enough supply of sugar and its price stability for the rest of the year, Azcona said they would delay the milling until September 1.
The 440,000 metric tons of sugar that was approved for importation, more than half of which were already delivered, are expected to last until August 31 this year.
“So our step is to delay the milling until September 1, this will give time for the sugarcane to be more mature and improve the sugar content,” said Azcona.