The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) headed by Chief Hermenegildo Serafica warns about Philippines’ sugar supply running out by August 2022.
In a statement, SRA revealed that the current sugar supply of the country will last only until end of July.
“For the real sugar situation, based on the stock balance as of June 19, 2022, our raw sugar supply will last until August 4, 2022, and our supply of refined sugar will last until July 29, 2022. This data is based on actual sugar produced and withdrawn from the mills and refineries and is updated weekly,” reads the statement.
The agency revealed that majority of sugar mills in the Philippines have stopped milling last April and May due to a lack of cane supply.
“For this crop year which started September 1, 2021 and ends August 31, 2022, our final estimated production of raw sugar is 1.8 million metric tons,” said SRA.
The shortage in supply according to SRA is caused by the damage of Typhoon Odette.
“The damage to the sugarcane fields due to typhoon Odette was reported at 1.5 billion pesos, this does not include damages to the mills and refineries. SRA has also verified production in mills and refineries after typhoon Odette and continues to monitor and verify on the ground as the milling season progresses, the quality of canes, tonnage, and sugar recovery,” stated SRA.
SRA explained that “we are already eating up our buffer stock” saying that sugar supply “will not be enough until the end of August.”
It can be recalled that SRA intended to import 200,000 metric tons of standard and bottler’s grade refined sugar from Thailand Last February to try and bridge the gap between the depleting sugar supply but was stopped by a local production group who filed a temporary restraining order (TRO).
The TRO petition was filed by the Rural Sugar Planters Association, Inc, a member group of the United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED). They claim that claiming that the move only benefits industrial bottling companies and will deprive local farmers the chance to sell sugar in the Philippine market.
The TRO was granted but SRA has now submitted a new request for importation citing data based on actual sugar produced and withdrawn from the mills and refineries.
Imported sugar, according to UNIFED is also the reason behind increasing sugar prices across the country which is hurting consumers.
As of June 24, the retail price of refined sugar in Manila is at 78-90 pesos per kilo. Washed sugar is priced from 65-70 pesos per kilo while raw sugar is priced at 60-70 pesos per kilo. But local retailers in Manila said that sugar prices have gone up once again by P2/kilo since last Thursday, July 7.
