De la Rama: This will mend the rift between sugar producers, Coke 

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Board Member, Atty. Dino Yulo, and Confederation of Sugar Producers (Confed) President Francis de la Rama both expressed optimism with recent news the Coca-Cola Company, based in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States, re-acquired a 51 percent stake of Coca-Cola FEMSA, which runs operations for the beverage company in the Philippines.

“This will be guarded optimism,” Yulo said. “We hope there will be more transparency and collaboration between Coke and the sugar industry.”

“We are very happy with this development,” de la Rama noted. “This will definitely mend the rift between sugar producers and Coke under FEMSA.”

The Confed president also revealed Coke has indicated they are ready to send a technical working group to sit down with sugar producers on how best to resolve the sugar supply needs of the beverage company.

“We are ready to get down on it as soon as possible,” he affirmed.

Recently, during the 65th Annual National Philsutech Convention in Cebu City, Senator Cynthia Villar conducted a dialogue with sugar producers to come up with measures to stop the rising price of sugar without having to resort to increased importation./DGB, WDJ