• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Stressing that there is enough supply of the commodity, the Sugar Regulatory Administration is pushing for a suggested retail price (SRP) of P85 per kilo of sugar in the retail market.
This comes after complaints were aired against some retailers, especially in Metro Manila, that are still selling sugar at P110 per kilo.
Meanwhile, acting SRA Administrator Paul Azcona urged the public to patronize Kadiwa Rolling Stores where sugar is sold at a much lower price of P70/kilo.
“We have enough sugar supply, thus I do not see any reason why retailers can’t bring their prices down to a much affordable rate for our consumers,” Azcona said.
He explained that mill gate prices are averaging P60/kilo, and compounded with the cost of refining sugar, hauling, repacking, and retailing, “everyone is profiting enough to make it available to the consuming public at P85/kilo.”
Azcona acknowledged that SRA has no powers to enforce the SRP and is urging other government agencies, particularly the local government units, to implement it.
He said that most, if not all mills, have closed their doors and they are in the process of collating domestic production to determine the amount of sugar that needs to be imported to serve as buffer in the event that the planned resumption of the milling season will be moved to the proper start of the new crop year, which is September 1 to increase productivity.
The constant move to mill earlier than September has led to a constant decrease in yield (LKGTC), as immature cane is milled, to the demise of the farmer, and making us more dependent to imports, he added.
Azcona noted that some sugar mills ended their operation early due to weather conditions, because they lack bagasse to power their mills.
With this new development, we are studying closely if delaying the next milling season will help our production, before we make the necessary recommendations, he further said.
Azcona said that he has been doing the rounds of consulting with various sugar stakeholders to prepare for the next crop year.*
