Supporting the Philippine Sugar Millers Association's (PSMA) suggestion to set aside importation, the Sugar Council called for a computed and transparent importation program so that locally produced sugar is not prejudiced.
In a statement on Wednesday, May 29, the Sugar Council said that while importation is vital to keeping sugar stocks up and stabilizing retail prices during the off-milling season, they want to seek active consultation with farmer groups and other sugar stakeholders before issuing out any import orders.
The PSMA declared that the Philippines has ample supply in the sugar inventory. This is said to last until the end of the crop year, recommending a pause on importation activities.
The total physical stock in sugar recorded by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) last May 12 totaled 531,838 metric tons (MT), higher by 26.37 percent compared to 420,866 MT last year.
“The latter includes over 135,000 tons or 2.7 million bags of imported refined sugar brought in last year that have not even been withdrawn or used,” the Sugar Council noted.
The council consists of three sugarcane producers, including the Confederation of Sugar Producers Association (CONFED), the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP), and the Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers Inc. (PANAYFED).
Three federations account for 67 percent of the affiliated sugar output, while the consolidated sugar volume produced by the PSMA millers went up to 65 percent.
“[We] found equally disturbing the allegation that withdrawals for imported refined sugar shot up by 16 percent while withdrawals for locally refined sugar plummeted by over 7 percent,” the council said in a statement.
“Since locally refined sugar comes from the local farmers’ raw sugar, demand for raw sugar also dropped by over 4 percent much to the disadvantage of local farmers,” they added.
Meanwhile, refined sugar sold in the local wet markets are averaged at P73 to P100, according to the Department of Agriculture price watch Wednesday.