Officers of about 30 planters associations and sugar farmers cooperatives affiliated with the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP) gathered at the Federation’s Main Office in Bacolod City on September 25 for the 96th Annual General Assembly and Board of Directors Meeting of the federation.
“Since the founding of our federation in 1930, NFSP has always been vocal in defending the interests and promoting the welfare of our planter-members. We take pride in the long history of our Federation’s service to our planters and to the entire sugar industry,” said NFSP President Enrique D. Rojas.
Rojas welcomed the leaders of the approximately 30 NFSP member-associations and cooperatives from all over the country, some of whom came from as far north as Cagayan Valley and as down south as Davao.
He briefed them on major events that transpired and the challenges which surfaced in the sugar industry, and what actions the federation has undertaken for the past year since the previous general assembly in 2025, a press release from NFSP said Monday, Oct. 5.
Among the major issues which Rojas discussed were highlights of sugar production and withdrawals for Crop Year 2025-2026, prices of sugar and molasses, the over-importation of refined sugar under Sugar Order No. 8 2024-2025, the raw sugar export to the United States with import replenishment program, and the resurgence of the RSSI (red-striped, soft-scale insect) infestation.
“Our Federation made representation with the Department of Energy and Department of Agriculture, which led to the temporary ban on importation of molasses, and which consequently improved molasses prices. We also condemned the over-importation under SO#8, and called SRA to task for its delayed, inadequate response to the resurgence of the RSSI infestation, particularly in Negros,” Rojas told the NFSP members.
“Together with our allied organizations in the sugar industry, we called for the resignation of the Sugar Board because of their misplaced policies which have directly caused the decline in sugar prices, and their failure to address challenges and problems confronting sugar farmers. We attended congressional hearings, both here in Negros and in Manila, and we also brought our advocacies to the halls of Malacaňang Palace,” Rojas added.
Aside from the inputs from the NFSP President, the assembly included a status report from the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) on the RSSI infestation, presentation the Philippine Sugar Research Institute (PHILSURIN) of updates on high-yielding varieties (HYVs) of sugarcane, and in-depth analysis and projections for Crop Year 2026-2027 from Philippine Sugar Millers Association Executive Director Cocoy Barrera.*
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