The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is investigating why the import clearance fee for high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) was reduced to P1.50, SRA Administrator Pablo Luiz Azcona said.

This comes after SRA reinstated the original P30 fee for every equivalent 50-kilogram bag of sugar amid concerns from sugar stakeholders over declining sugar demand.

Azcona said in an interview with “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon” that sugar farmers and millers raised their concerns to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel about the increasing use of HFCS.

“For the last five years or so, ‘yung demand natin for sugar hindi umaakyat, which is unexplainable kasi dumadami ang tao sa Pilipinas. Dumadami ang consumers,” Azcona said.

Azcona said it remains unclear why the import clearance fee for HFCS was lowered to P1.50, but the SRA is looking into it.

“We’ve been looking through the minutes of the meeting, but we cannot find it. It’s seven to eight years back so we’re going through a lot of paperwork. Eventually, we will know the reason,” Azcona said.

“It’s just fair to put it back to P30 para fair siya sa all other sugars na pumapasok,” he added.

Import clearance fees for sugar and its other forms go to the SRA’s corporate fund, which supports modernization efforts in the sugar industry.

The SRA highlighted the importance of keeping the fund viable as the industry faces stiff competition from alternative sweeteners.

Azcona is optimistic that higher import fees for HFCS will improve demand for locally-produced sugar. (ABS-CBN News)