Several farmers have criticized a government plan to import sugar to augment the projected supply shortfall this year.
Sugar farmers said there would be no shortage since it was the start of milling season or sugar production.
“We have a lot of sugar in our bodegas, we are at peak of milling season. At the end of milling season in May, they should order a nationwide inventory, and then they will find out how much sugar do we have on the bodega. If we lack sugar, then we talk about importation,” Manuel Lamata of United Sugar Federation, said.
Based on the data of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), the country’s sugar production increased by 3% in the first week of February compared to last year.
However, farmers said that if the importation would push through, the price of sugar would decrease, they would be unable to recover their investment.
At least five million farmers and their families would be badly affected in the Negros Region.
“Eighty-five to 90% of the sugar farmers now are agrarian beneficiaries, marginal one to three to five hectares. Every time the price increase kaagad yung farmers ang binebweltahan (they immediately take it out on the farmers),” Joseph Edgar Sarrosa of Rural Sugar Planters Association said.
The SRA earlier said the country would be importing 200,000 metric tons (MT) of refined sugar to augment a projected supply shortfall for the year.
The SRA issued the Sugar Order No. 3, series of 2021-2022 after assessing the damage caused by Typhoon Odette to sugarcane crops, sugar stocks at warehouses, as well as facilities and equipment of sugar mills and refineries in key sugar milling districts.
Meanwhile, the Regional Trial Court Branch 73 in Sagay City, Negros Occidental, issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) “enjoining and restraining” the SRA from implementing the said order.
