• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has agreed to endorse the direct government buying of domestic sugar being pushed by both the Confederation of Sugar Producers Association (CONFED) and National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry (NACUSIP) to help sugar farmers experiencing drastic decline in millgate prices.
“The key to any challenging situation is to keep talking to each other. The sugar industry belongs to all of us. We must always be willing to collaborate,” CONFED president Aurelio Valderrama said in a statement.
Valderrama, together with NACUSIP president Roland de la Cruz, met with SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona at the House of Representatives on March 4.
CONFED also called for the establishment of a technical working group to work out the mechanics for the direct government sugar buying program.
During the recent congressional inquiry on the status of the sugar industry, lawmakers from sugar-producing regions pushed for amendments to the SRA charter to better regulate the importation of sugar and artificial sweeteners, which they argue are damaging the local industry.
CONFED also submitted a proposed measure revising Republic Act 10659 or the Sugar Industry Development Act (SIDA) of 2015, which promotes and supports the competitiveness and sustainability of the sugarcane industry while strengthening the institutional capacity of the SRA.
Concerns have been also raised regarding the lack of control over the importation of molasses and artificial sweeteners such as magic sugar and sucralose, which have lowered the prices of local products.
Calls were also made to improve infrastructure for sugarcane farmers and strengthen the overall industry through legislative changes.
These legislative moves are aimed at safeguarding the livelihoods of farmers and ensuring the viability of the Philippine sugar industry against increasing competitive pressures. | GB
