Sugar Regulatory Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona stressed on Thursday, February 8, that the proposed sugar order questioned by the Sugar Council categorically states that there is presently no program or plan for sugar importation.
They cited Section 3.9 without citing Section 3.10 of the proposed sugar order.
Section 3.10 of the proposed sugar order states “on the basis of SRA’s latest supply and demand data on raw and refined sugar showing sufficient actual stocks thereof, the SRA categorically states that there is presently no program for sugar importation”.
“Why are they causing a panic by claiming that there will be an importation? Such unfounded claim will drive down prices even more,” Azcona said.
Section 3.9 is a qualification for an import allocation only should it become necessary, he said.
As discussed on January 19 where Sugar Council leaders Aurelio Gerardo J. Valderrama Jr. of the Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations, Enrique D. Rojas – National Federation of Sugarcane Planters Inc., and Danilo A. Abelita – Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers Inc. were actively involved, it was agreed, that if we ever need to import, we should allocate such to traders, farmer cooperatives and importers who supported the local farmers by buying their produce at a better price, Azcona said.
The Sugar Council on Wednesday said considering the over-supply of refined sugar at this time, SRA would do well to declare that there will be no more importation for the rest of 2024.
Azcona said the Sugar Council camp ran the sugar industry for the longest time, they know that that declaration is not possible because nobody knows if demand will go up or supply will go down in the future.*