BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is set to release a new Sugar Order which would address the current tight supply.
SRA Acting Administrator David Thaddeus Alba said they would issue Sugar Order No.1 (SO1) next week to remedy the lack of supply, followed by Sugar Order No. 2 (SO2).
SO1 would be for the allocation of sugar for the year while SO2 would be for importation.
“We need to import 150,000 metric tons (MT) of sugar,” Alba said.
When asked if some of the bags of sugar that have been placed under litigation – after these were seized in warehouse raids – could be released to address the supply gap, Alba said these could not be released as they are under investigation.
“Disposal of the bags [can only be done] after the investigation,” stressed Alba.
Coca-cola Bottlers Philippines is running out of bottler’s grade sugar while Pepsi Philippines and RC Cola Philippines still have enough supply.
As for filling the United States (US) sugar quota, Alba said it “still matters” although he noted that with the current situation, the SRA could not comply.
“We will write to the [United States Department of Agriculture]. Because of the critical situation of the sugar industry right now, we cannot comply with the US quota,” said Alba./PN
