By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Following an earlier proposal to reclassify high fructose corn syrup from world market sugar to domestic sugar, the General Alliance of Workers Association (GAWA) yesterday said the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) assured there would be no change to high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) classification.

“SRA should regulate HFCS and not comply with [a] request that would be inimical to the industry and its stakeholders,” said GAWA Secretary-General Wennie Sancho.

However, he also noted receiving information from a member of the SRA Board of Directors indicating the beverage company that brought the initial proposal forward has requested the agency reconsider their decision to destroy 9,196 metric tons of imported HFCS and instead sell it to the Asian Alcohol Corporation.

Sancho said, if SRA complies with the move, it would show the agency as being “inconsistent.”/DGB, WDJ