The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has welcomed the support of farmers in Mindanao and Luzon for the national government’s move to delay sugar importation until the middle of next year amid a stable supply of raw and refined sugar.
The SRA and the Department of Agriculture (DA) received letters of support from the Sugarcane Growers Association of Bukidnon Inc. (SGABI) and the Luzon Federation of Sugarcane Growers and Associations (LuzonFed), which believe the development can lead to optimal utilization of the local produce, it said in a statement yesterday.
SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona, who attended the joint annual general assembly of SGABI and the Sugarcane Farmers of Bukidnon Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SFBMPC) in Bukidnon last week, thanked the Mindanao farmers for their support as he reaffirmed his commitment to increasing the agency’s presence and programs in the area.
In a manifesto, the SGABI and SFBMPC said the decision of the SRA and DA to suspend sugar importation until after the 2024-2025 crop year’s harvest season “exemplifies a commitment to safeguarding the interests of the domestic agricultural sector and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.”
“The strategic postponement of sugar importation until after the harvest season not only supports our local farmers but also ensures the optimal utilization of our homegrown produce,” they added.
Azcona said the SRA is “in the process” of expanding its research program in Mindanao, particularly in Bukidnon, as he noted the region’s positive growth of about 20 percent in the last crop year while other areas remain stagnant.
In Bukidnon, sugar farmers only started milling earlier this week, almost two months after the mills opened in Negros Occidental, the country’s top sugar-producing province, which is experiencing a drop in sugar purity in crops as a result of the long drought.
“Do not hasten harvesting canes to ensure better yield,” Azcona advised the Mindanao farmers.
In a letter addressed to the SRA and the DA, Luzonfed said the delay in sugar importation “offers significant relief to sugarcane farmers who have been struggling with the negative impact of excessive imports on local prices.”
“We are grateful for the SRA and DA’s acknowledgment of our concerns. By postponing imports until mid-2025, farmers can optimize their harvests and foster a more sustainable local industry,” Luzonfed president Cornelio Toreja said.
The letter of support and appreciation was sent by Luzon through SRA Board Member David Andrew Sanson, the guest speaker at the assembly of the Batangas Integrated Sugar Planters Multi-Purpose Cooperative last week.
“We are happy to note that your organization has been nothing but supportive of the local sugar industry, to the DA and SRA. Let me assure everyone that the Sugar Board is fully cognizant of every stakeholder’s needs, and we need your full support and cooperation in making policy decisions that will be beneficial to all,” Sanson said. (PNA)