• GILBERT P. BAYORAN / RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
Negros Occidental Third District Representative Javier Miguel Benitez disclosed on Monday that the inclusion of sugar farmers in the 2026 implementation of the 10 billion Presidential Assistance for Farmers, Fisherfolk, and Families program has gained traction.
Benitez, who is a member of Bicameral Conference Committee for the proposed 2026 National Budget, said that they manifested such a request to the Bicameral Conference Committee, emphasizing the urgent need for support given the multifaceted crisis facing the sugar industry in Negros Occidental.
The sugar industry is in the midst of a crisis, as millgate prices of sugar are now down to the production level of around P2,100 per 50-lkg, compared to P3,000 in previous years.
Benitez stressed the importance of financial assistance to the sugar farmers, in order to mitigate the effects of low prices of sugar, importation, pest damage, and other climate challenges.
PLANTERS SEEK HELP
The National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP) and the Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers (PANAYFED) are seeking the intervention of the national government regarding the low sugar and molasses prices, proposing that the government buy directly from farmers.
In a joint statement released by NFSP President Enrique Rojas and PANAYFED President Danilo Abelita, the two federations pushed for direct government buying of surplus sugar stocks to ease the congestion in the domestic market and the provision of easily accessible quedan financing for sugar farmers by government financial institutions.
In last week’s bidding, sugar prices dropped to as low as P2,103 per 50-kilogram bag in some mills in Negros Oriental and Panay, while the highest bid was P2,322 per 50kg bag at the Hawaiian-Philippine Company. The crop year started with prices of P2,250 to P2,350 per bag, which is a far cry from the P2,800 per bag during the first couple of weeks of crop year 2024-2025.
The two federation presidents said that in the first two weeks of December, sugar prices have significantly dropped to P2,103 per sack, which is the lowest price for the present crop year. Several mills have declared a failure of bidding because farmers would not take such low prices.
“The present sad plight of the sugar industry was caused by a confluence of events, most notably erroneous importation policies and worsened by natural calamities. All industry stakeholders should come together and cohesively petition the government to immediately allocate resources for direct sugar buying and quedan financing,” they said.
“This crop year’s prices are below the production cost of the majority of sugar farmers, mostly agrarian reform beneficiaries cultivating farms of less than two hectares. Sugar proceeds are their only source of income. Thus, the prevailing low price is literally slowly killing them by depriving them of income. It has reached a point where some marginal farmers are seriously considering giving up sugar farming,” the two federation presidents added, citing that “if sugar farming becomes unprofitable for these small farmers, their only recourse is to diversify to another crop or enterprise.”
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has called the attention of all local leaders and sugar planters to reach a unified position addressing the plummeting of sugar millgate prices.
The governor made the appeal as stakeholders sought the help of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to address the spiraling downtrend of sugar prices in the past several weeks.
Farmers’ associations in the fifth district of Negros Occidental have also urged the intervention of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on the matter as they sent an appeal through an open letter to the Office of the President.*
