- MITCH M. LIPA
Sugar workers and agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) will be the most affected by the excessive importation of sugar, National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines (NACUSIP) president, Roland de la Cruz, said.
De la Cruz said they are alarmed by the recent decision of the Sugar Regulatory Administration to import 200,000 metric tons of sugar, as contained in its Sugar Order No. 3.
“Sugar importation, especially at the height of the milling season, will have serious and debilitating effect on local producers, especially small farm cultivators such as agrarian reform beneficiaries, small planters, and sugar field workers,” he added.
He said they support the growing clamor of major sugar producers and planters’ associations for SRA to reconsider its order at the height of this crop year’s milling season.
“Whenever prices of domestic sugar are affected, caused by excessive sugar importation and high cost of production, including the current expensive prices of fertilizer, those who do not have enough cash reserves and credit access, such as the ARB farmers and small farm cultivators, will be the biggest losers,” the NACUSIP president said.
The group urged the SRA to rescind Sugar Order No. 3 and refrain from further actions at the expense of the industry stakeholders.
NACUSIP is one with the planters and millers’ associations in whatever protest actions to be taken against this insensitive act of SRA, de la Cruz said. — MML
