According to Pablo Luis Azcona, the chief regulator of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), as only 11 out of the country’s 24 sugar mills are currently operational, the Philippines will still need to import sugar. However, the importation will be limited to fulfill the projected supply deficit, reports Inquirer.Net.
Azcona explained that the local sugar mills will conclude their operations by the end of May as they started milling early last year to address the supply shortage. To bridge the gap, the SRA anticipates permitting the importation of a maximum of 150,000 metric tons (MT) of sugar, which will be allocated among 35 to 40 importers.
Azcona further stated that the SRA is currently gathering data from the sugar mills to accurately determine the exact volume of sugar that needs to be procured from external sources by the end of this month.
