By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Confederation of Sugar Producers (Confed) spokesperson Raymond Montinola yesterday expressed the group’s opposition to calls by food processors to deregulate the industry and allow the open importation of sugar.
In response to Philippine Food Exporters Inc. President Roberto Amores, who said, “Domestic processors are hurting and [the] high cost of sugar in the local market is killing the local industry but favoring foreign competition,” Montinola said, “We beg to disagree with Mr. Amores because mill gate sugar prices [have] not increased drastically [over] the past months to warrant a labeling of ‘prohibitive cost of domestic sugar.’”
According to the first quarter Performance of Philippine Agriculture report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the overall gross value of production for sugarcane, or net revenue, saw an increase of 36.25 percent.
While the recent report also noted prices went up, by nearly 19 percent, which has become a political issue in the region with various figures pointing fingers at who is causing price fluctuations, the PSA report points out 2019 prices are somewhat comparable to 2017, with 2018 exhibiting a dip.
According to the report, the average farmgate prices for sugar in 2017 was P1.60 per kilogram. This figure dipped to P1.42/kilogram last year and is now back up to P1.69/kilogram.
“We suspect that there are larger groups behind this lobby and we will remain vigilant against this move to ensure that our industry is protected,” Montinola added.
He claimed, if direct importation is allowed, “Over five million Filipinos who are directly and indirectly dependent on the sugar industry will suffer.”/DGB, WDJ