The Confederation of Sugarcane Producers’ Associations (Confed) is quite unhappy over the plan of the Department of Agriculture to import refined sugar, saying that such importation is unnecessary and stakeholders were consulted for the same.
On Friday, Confed wrote a letter to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr., expressing concern about the proposed importation of 200,000 metric tons (MT) of refined sugar by September.
Confed President Aurelio Gerardo J. Valderrama Jr stated that the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has not yet declared the official commencement of milling for crop year (CY) 2024-2025. Additionally, no crop estimates have been issued for the new CY, which has been impacted by the El Niño phenomenon.
It is asking the SRA to open dialogue with the industry on the sugar policy for the new year.
Any plan to import sugar, Confed said, should be based on data, well thought out, open and fair with the involved industries so as not to allow speculation and manipulation.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. announced that the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) will hold discussions regarding sugar imports in July.
