Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) filed a resolution on Monday, Oct. 13, urging the House of Representatives to investigate the steep drop in millgate sugar prices in Negros Occidental.
House Resolution No. 373 calls on the House of Representatives, through the Committees on Agriculture and Food, Trade and Industry, and Labor and Employment to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the sudden drop in the millgate price of locally produced sugar in Negros Occidental and its severe economic impacts on producers and laborers.
“As the ‘sugar bowl of the Philippines,’ our province deserves fair prices and policies that protect our farmers, planters, and workers,” Benitez said.
“This measure seeks to find solutions that will stabilize sugar prices, safeguard rural livelihoods, and keep the heart of our local economy beating strong,” Benitez added.
Negros Occidental produces approximately 1.8 million metric tons (MT) of sugar annually, accounting for more than half of the nation’s total sugar output, Benitez noted.
The millgate price of locally produced sugar in Negros Occidental has drastically fallen to an average of P2,200 per 50-kilogram bag, which is nearly P300 below the standard production cost of P2,500. This places immense financial strain on sugar producers, he said.
This steep price decline has triggered an alarming economic crisis for sugar planters in Negros Occidental, particularly small producers already burdened by rising fertilizer costs, which now average between P1,800 to P2,000 per bag, Benitez added.
“Given the centrality of sugar production to Negros Occidental’s economy and the grave implications of a sustained millgate price collapse, immediate legislative and executive action is necessary to safeguard the industry, protect rural livelihoods, and maintain equitable economic growth,” Benitez stressed.
Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is not imported-oriented and has pledged to help local sugar farmers improve their production.
The National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines (NACUSIP) on Monday called on the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to act on the drop in sugar prices.
They are calling for:
- Complete and public disclosure of the SRA’s weekly price calculation methodology at mills;
- An independent audit of sugar and molasses stocks in all mills and warehouses; and
- Immediate suspension of planned importation until there is genuine consultation with trade unions and agrarian reform beneficiaries.
If the SRA continues to avoid accountability, Roland dela Cruz, NACUSIP president, warned that NACUSIP and its allies will hold nationwide protests and seek legal recourse to protect the rights and lives of workers and beneficiaries.*