By CESAR JOLITO III
The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) assured the public that the country will not experience a shortage in sugar supply despite the government’s decision to suspend importation until the first half of 2026.
SRA Administrator Pablo Azcona said the Philippines currently has sufficient buffer stocks of refined sugar, with local milling operations already in full swing since September.
“We still have about four million bags of bottlers-grade refined sugar in reserve, so our reserve stocks are complete, and our local manufacturing is ongoing,” Azcona said.
“So, it’s absolutely certain that we won’t have a shortage,” he added.
Azcona added that contingency measures are in place should any supply disruption occur, emphasizing that the SRA and the Department of Agriculture (DA) have been closely monitoring production and demand.
“It has been our experience for the last two or three years that our supply remains stable. There’s no need for manufacturers and beverage makers to worry because the government is prepared,” he said.
The DA earlier announced that sugar importation will be suspended until May or June 2026 to help stabilize local prices, particularly amid reports of declining raw sugar prices at the millgate level.
Under the current policy, the SRA and DA agreed to maintain a two-month buffer stock of refined sugar at all times to ensure market stability and protect consumers from sudden price increases.
The assurance comes as the sugar industry enters its peak milling season, with most mills in Negros Island and other major sugar-producing provinces operating at full capacity.
Azcona said that continued monitoring of local production, combined with sufficient reserves, will help maintain a steady supply in the domestic market in the months ahead.
Earlier, SRA emphasized that the local supply and production remain stable despite concerns raised by sugar planters’ groups.
Since 2022, the sugar industry has recorded a steady increase in cultivation, with planted areas expanding from 380,000 hectares to 409,000 hectares this year.
Meanwhile, lawmakers in the Negros Island Region called for immediate and decisive intervention from the SRA over the sharp and continuing decline of sugar prices, which could place the livelihoods of thousands of sugarcane farmers in jeopardy.
They said the mill gate price of sugar had dropped to around P2,200 per 50-kilogram bag, about P300 lower than the estimated cost of production.
The lawmakers urged the SRA to provide a transparent and data-driven explanation for the sudden price slump, including possible links to recent importation policies, pest infestations or fluctuations in market demand.
They also called on relevant government agencies and industry stakeholders to act swiftly and in coordination to cushion the impact of the price drop and restore stability in the sugar industry./CJ, WDJ