• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Sugar Council and the National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines dismissed as “misleading” the alleged drop in sugar production by 96 percent in the first three weeks of milling, as reported by the Sugar Regulatory Administration.
In a joint statement, they stressed that the early figures do not provide enough basis at this time, for making conclusions on the new crop year.
According to SRA administrator Pablo Azcona, sugar output recorded in the first three weeks of the milling season this year dropped by 96 percent, compared to 2023.
The milling season started on September 15, and so far, only 5,645 tons of sugar have been produced.
The present figure is lower than the 134,780 tons recorded during the same period last year, Azcona revealed in a recent press briefing.
Azcona said several milling companies and organizations have expressed readiness to mill, but only a few tons of sugarcane have been brought in for milling.
The Sugar Council, composed of three sugar federations, said comparing the two separate periods can be misleading.
Records show that a total of nine sugar centrals were already milling in September 2023, and produced a total of 61,285 metric tons. In comparison, only one sugar mill operated in September this year, which produced 5,645 metric tons of sugar, or 90% lower output compared to the same period last year, they said.
Admitting that the milling of the new crop was off to a slow start, they attributed the delay to the the long dry season that hit Negros this year. And the standing crop, per field observation, seems to be recovering well, they further said.
The Sugar Council and NACUSIP said the SRA report might have created the impression that sugar production will drop precipitously, justifying more importation in order to prematurely cover a projected shortage.
They also reiterated their request for SRA to publish its official crop estimate for the incoming crop year, and its corresponding supply-demand projections from September onward, for them to come up with proposed policies.*