Sugar industry stakeholders in a rare show of unity on Monday gathered at the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) office in Bacolod City to come up with solutions to problems plaguing the industry.
Aside from the urgent need to control the entry of artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes, the group reached a consensus to urge the national government to revisit and implement a modified version of the sugar-buying program from two years ago, SRA Administrator Pablo Azcona said on Tuesday, March 10.
At that time, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had approved a ₱5 billion budget for the initiative following requests from Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel and Azcona, allowing the government to purchase a specific portion of farmer and miller produce at a pre-determined price.
During the meeting Monday, the stakeholders suggested that a larger budget be requested for the program’s revival, citing a detailed presentation by the Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations (Confed), Azcona said.
Azcona said the group offered specific suggestions on how the program should be implemented, with all other stakeholders set to submit their formal comments and additional recommendations to the SRA at the soonest possible time.
The discussions also included proposals for establishing a government-mandated floor price for sugar produced by both farmers and millers to provide further market stability, Azcona said.
Addressing global concerns, SRA Board farmers’ representative Dave Sanson called for stakeholder recommendations to mitigate the potential impact of the conflict in the Middle East on the local industry.
The group anticipates that the geopolitical tension will lead to an increase in the cost of fuel, fertilizer, and other essential farm inputs.
The group will prepare letters to be sent to President Marcos detailing their requests, which will be endorsed by the SRA to the Department of Agriculture and Malacañang, he said.
The meeting saw full representation from sugar federation leaders, millers, the SRA Board, and labor representatives from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, Azcona said.
Azcona characterized the gathering as a milestone in public-private cooperation, stating that the SRA hopes this serves as a continuation of the administration’s efforts to unify the industry and foster collaborative strategies to address concerns.*
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