The Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations Inc. said the country must not only dwell on stopping the sugar liberalization as proposed by the economic managers but use it as a stepping stone in providing the necessary solution for the sugar industry to address the domestic production.

“We reiterate, through our resolution, that government provides the necessary oversight function for the Sugar Industry Development Act (SIDA) and hopefully reestablish the P2.0 billion fund as originally set in the law,” its press release said.

The consolidation of small farmers is among the suggestions of Confed to re-tool the sugar farming back into its ideal state as a plantation crop for better production and fund management through economies of scale.

“We look forward for government to provide easy access to support services, financing, mill upgrading and standardization utilizing “progressive farmers” as partners in the block farming program,” it added.

Its spokesperson, Raymond Montinola, said “the Confed Resolution is our way to show government that we are going to do something about the issue of productivity in our industry. However, we cannot do it alone, therefore, we are asking the DA to conduct a performance audit and include review of the organizational structure of the Sugar Regulatory Administration in order to streamline its function as the governing agency of government for the sugar industry.”

He added their concern is for SRA to establish primarily a calibrated import program that will “tidy us up while we are getting our acts together in stainable and sustained solution for our domestic sugar production.”

Confed also commits to working with government, especially the DA and SRA, without prejudice to personalities involved in the endeavor, to provide a sustainable livelihood for stakeholders, the press release added.*

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