Bacolod City: The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has supported its decision of reopening sugar mills in September as against the request made by the Sugar Council to start them in August, reports Panaynews.
Pablo Azcona, SRA administrator said, “We have decided to reopen mills on September 1 due to two reasons, one is an increase in the yield in terms of LKG/TC (kilogram bag per tonne of cane ), and second it will help in increasing the revenue of farmers.”
The Sugar Council comprising the Confederation of Sugar Producers’ Associations, the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters, and the Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers had urged the SRA to start milling from August 1.
The producers have stated that the cane they planted last year is already ripe for milling.
The SRA is planning to return to a stage in three years where the mills would be open from October 1.
Azcona said that by 2025 we will be on track, hoping that the annual production would increase.
Dave Sanson, a new member of the SRA Board representing planters said that the government aims to increase sugar production and lower dependence on sugar importation. Keeping this in view the government is taking these steps, he said.
