By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) considers transporting cane sugar stuck in Batangas to Negros Island after two companies were unable to mill sugar.

In a report on ABS-CBN’s “TV Patrol Weekend,” SRA acting administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said they explored the idea of bringing more than a hundred sugarcane trucks to Negros.

However, they are unable to find shipping companies who are willing to ferry the sugarcane.

Azcona said they are already looking into providing assistance to the cane truck drivers who are currently stuck in Batangas for almost a week.

The Progreen Agricorp Inc. and the Universal Robina Corporation (URC) were forced to stop their milling operations due to machinery breakdowns.

Progreen has already announced that it will resume operations soon, while URC is still conducting maintenance operations which are expected to last for four days.

Meanwhile, Azcona said the assistance they could give to sugarcane farmers affected by the breakdowns is limited.

He added that the only sugar mill that is currently operating in Luzon is in Cagayan province’s Tuguegarao City.

“Medyo limited talaga ‘yung options,” Azcona said.

He also admitted that the country’s sugar production had dropped.

“‘Yung kukulangin natin, based on our projection na prinisent natin sa President, is about 50,000 metric tons [MT]. So imagine, kung andiyan ‘yung 20,000 na nawala, sana mas maliit na lang ‘yung kulang, malaki din effect nu’n,” he explained.

Last week, Malacañang announced that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. approved the additional importation of 150,000 MT of sugar in an effort to stabilize prices and to boost the country’s stock.

The move garnered mixed reactions from local sugar groups, especially in Negros./DGB, WDJ