By JEN BAYLON
The Sugar Council has voiced concerns over the potential impact of removing non-tariff barriers on local agricultural production, as it may lead to import liberalization and the decline of domestic farming amidst global food supply shortages.
Non-tariff barriers are policy measures which restrict trade, such as quotas, import licensing systems and regulatory procedures.
The council urges the government to implement a measure that provides necessary safety nets to make the sugar industry and the entire Philippine agriculture sector competitive.
The group also called for a Sugar Importation Program, based on transparency, inclusiveness and accurate data analysis, to ensure proper calibration in terms of volume and timing.
While the Sugar Council acknowledges the need to reduce red tape and streamline importation procedures, they warn that removing non-tariff barriers without appropriate safety nets and effective competitiveness enhancement measures may not guarantee food security, maintain sufficient supply or improve local production.
They said the removal of the Sugar Regulatory Administration’s (SRA) existing importation rules and regulations could lead to a loss of its regulatory authority and revenue, potentially affecting its ability to fund programs that assist sugarcane farmers.
This could undermine the SRA’s mandate to maintain a balanced relationship between sugar production and requirements, ensuring stabilized prices for producers and consumers, the council said.
On April 18, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. issued Administrative Order (AO) 20 which directs the Department of Agriculture and its attached agencies — the SRA, the National Food Authority, and the Department of Trade and Industry — to simplify importation procedures and requirements in licensing importers, which will minimize the processing time of application for importation.
AO 20 aims to promote transparency and predictability in policies concerning the importation of agricultural products to ensure food security and maintain a sufficient supply of goods./JB, WDJ