With a steady supply of both raw and refined sugar in the domestic market, the Philippines government has decided not to pursue sugar importation until mid-2024, according to top officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona jointly announced on Sunday that the decision to import sugar could be postponed until after May, once the current harvest season concludes. “Given the current situation, SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona and I agreed that a decision on sugar importation could be delayed until after May, when the current harvest season ends,” Tiu Laurel said in a statement.
He further explained that there is no immediate need for additional imports, as the domestic supply of both raw and refined sugar is currently stable and sufficient to meet projected demand.
Azcona, a native of Negros Occidental, the Philippines’ leading sugar-producing province, noted that the harvest has been slower than expected. By this point in the season, total cane volume is only about one-third of what was harvested at the same time last year.
He attributed this slow start to lower sugar content per ton of cane, caused by the effects of El Niño. Farmers have had to delay their harvests to allow the cane to mature further and increase sugar content.
