By CESAR JOLITO III
The House of Representatives has moved to investigate the sharp drop in millgate prices of locally produced sugar in Negros Occidental, following the sponsorship of House Resolution No. 373 by 3rd District Representative Javier Miguel Benitez.
During the first hearing of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food on Wednesday, February 25, at the House of Representative in Quezon City, Benitez warned that the price plunge has pushed sugar farmers and workers into an economic crisis, with production costs now exceeding selling prices.
Benitez said Negros Occidental — often referred to as the country’s sugar bowl — produces about 1.8 million metric tons of sugarcane annually, accounting for more than half of national output.
However, at the start of the 2024-2025 milling season, millgate prices fell to an average of P2,200 per 50-kilogram bag, nearly P300 below the estimated production cost of P2,500.
The situation, he noted, has left farmers selling at a loss amid rising fertilizer, fuel and labor expenses, threatening the livelihoods of thousands of small planters and sugar workers, many of whom are agrarian reform beneficiaries.
In sponsoring the resolution, Benitez cited multiple factors behind the price collapse, including over-importation of refined sugar, weakening domestic demand due to artificial sweeteners, climate-related impacts such as El Niño, pest infestations and long-standing structural inefficiencies in the industry.
He also pointed to concerns over market distortions caused by unauthorized or smuggled sugar.
The inquiry will examine the role of the Sugar Regulatory Administration and other agencies in fulfilling their mandate to stabilize prices and protect both producers and consumers.
Benitez stressed that the probe is intended not to assign blame but to craft legislative remedies that will cushion small farmers from price volatility, ensure fair market conditions, and safeguard rural livelihoods in Negros Occidental and other sugar-producing areas.
The House committee said the public hearing will continue to gather more testimonies from government agencies, industry stakeholders, planters, and sugar workers before drafting proposed legislative measures./CJ, WDJ