The National Federation of Sugarcane Planters categorically retracts its statement welcoming the declaration of the Sugar Regulatory Administration and the Department of Agriculture that there will be no importation until the end of harvest next year, NFSP president Enrique D. Rojas said Tuesday, Nov. 19.
“Like all sugarcane farmers, we were initially happy that no additional imported sugar will enter the country, but we did not know that SRA had already brought in imported refined sugar,” Rojas said in a press release.
Rojas said SRA had not been totally candid in its statement, because it did not mention that it had already brought in 135,833 metric tons imported refined sugar, with the balance of 104,167 mt more possibly coming in, under Sugar Order No. 5 Series of 2023-2024 which authorized the importation of 240,000 mt refined sugar.
“Sugar farmers know that sugar importation, particularly excessive importation like what happened in Crop Year 2023-2024, brings domestic sugar prices down. This excessive importation brought down sugar prices last crop year, and continues to affect sugar prices in the current crop year because of the large carryover stocks,” he added.
SRA’s Sugar Supply and Demand Situation Report shows Crop Year 2024-2025 started with a beginning balance of 270,295 metric tons raw sugar, and 230,287 mt locally produced and 77,692 mt imported refined sugar, the NFSP press release said.
As of Week Ending (WE) October 20, local mills produced 69,470 mt raw sugar and 1,313.95 mt refined. The same SRA report showed that, as of WE October 20, withdrawals for raw sugar dropped by 18.38 percent, while refined sugar withdrawals dropped by 20.18 percent, compared to the same period last crop year, the press release added .
“Sugar prices have dropped for three consecutive weeks now. From P2,980.88 per bag for WE October 24, sugar prices dropped to P2,920 in WE October 30, P2,850 per bag in WE November 8, and P2,815.99 in WE November 15 at the Hawaiian sugar mill. That’s a total price drop of P164 per bag for the past three weeks at the Hawaiian sugar mill,” Rojas emphasized.
The First Farmers mill reported a price drop of P173.98 per bag for the past three weeks, from P2,981.92 (WE Oct 24 ) to P2,807.94 (WE Nov 15). At Vicmico, Lopez, Sagay, Sonedco, La Carlota and Biscom sugar mills, prices have also dropped by P110 to P135 per bag for the same three-week period, he added.
“Despite the statement there would be no importation, and although sugar production is low compared to last crop year, demand for sugar and, consequently, sugar prices continue to drop because there is a large carryover stock from last crop year, made even larger by the 240,000 mt importation under Sugar Order No. 5,” Rojas said.
“The NFSP stands solidly behind the Sugar Council’s statement published November 18 asking SRA for an explanation why sugar prices continue to drop, despite its ‘no importation’ declaration. Sugar farmers deserve an explanation. It is incumbent upon SRA, as the government authority on sugar, to give such explanation,” he said.*