• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Fifth District Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo III called on the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) on Wednesday, Sept. 4, to carefully explain the merits of exporting 25,300 metric tons (MT) of raw sugar to the United States while bringing in 200,000 MT of refined sugar at the same time.
“I think they just need to be transparent about everything so that we can allay any fears on what’s going to happen,” Yulo, a former SRA board member, said.
On Tuesday, the 25,300 MT of raw sugar loaded in the cargo vessel Tate J left Bredco Port in Bacolod City to fill the Philippines’ share of the US sugar quota.
Sugar Order (SO) No. 3 allows “the Philippines to fulfill its US quota allocation of 25,300 MT,” the first export of sugar this year to participate in future import programs.
“This will balance out the supply of raw sugar in the country when milling starts this September,” SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona earlier said.
On his stand regarding sugar exportation, Yulo said “I think at this time, we should be putting up our own sugar to ensure sufficient supply. Let’s keep our sugar all domestic, particularly for SO 1.”
In its SO1 S-2023-2024, the SRA said sugar production is expected to be around 1.85 million metric tons, which shall be quedanned by mill companies as “B” or for the domestic market.
SRA estimates a drop in domestic production by 10 to 15 percent, depending on the severity of El Niño.
The Philippines’ last shipment to the US was in the crop year 2020–2021, when it shipped 112,008 MT of commercial raw sugar.
SRA plans to import around 200,000 MT of refined sugar later this year to fill an anticipated supply gap and ensure the price stability of the commodity. | GB
