The sugar industry in the Philippines is considering delaying the cane crushing season till September end to help in maturing cane crops and develop sugar content in them, reports Zawya.
The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has received proposals from both planters and millers suggesting an additional two-week delay to the already rescheduled opening of the milling season. Last year, the SRA announced that the milling season for the upcoming 2024-2025 crop year would begin on September 15, which is already two weeks later than the traditional start date of September 1.
This proposal emerged as industry stakeholders observed that many sugarcane crops remain immature, with some having been replanted just a few months ago due to the detrimental effects of the drier and hotter weather brought on by the El Niño phenomenon.
The SRA has asked sugar industry stakeholders to reach a consensus on whether to further delay the milling season to ensure smoother operations in the fields.
SRA Administrator and CEO Pablo Luis Azcona views the potential delay as beneficial for both farmers and millers. “The proposals came from farmers and millers, as their surveys show there is very little cane ready for September 15 to October 15,” Azcona told The Star. “Another two weeks will add a bit more maturity to the cane,” he added, indicating that the milling season could now start on either September 22 or 29.
United Sugar Producers Federation president Manuel Lamata echoed the concerns, stating that much of the sugarcane is still green, signifying ongoing growth and a lack of maturity. “The sugar content of every stalk is still low. This was due to El Niño, and the rains came late. Let the canes mature further,” Lamata said.
Industry sources also said millers would agree to further delay the start of their operations, recognizing that sugarcanes’ growth has been stunted. There are no objections from major players, including Victorias Milling Co. Inc. and Universal Robina Corp., to any adjustment in the milling schedule, according to the SRA.
