THE small sugarcane farmers of Iloilo and Capiz are restive with the news that the carbonated soft drinks industry (CSDI) led by the Coca-cola Beverages Philippines Inc. and Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc. has requested President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to import an unspecified tonnage of premium grade refined sugar to “augment” existing raw material stocks.
“NO IMPORTATION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HARVEST SEASON OF SUGARCANE!”, said a vehement sugarcane farmer, Hernando Divinagracia Jr.
Divinagracia is the president of Jalasig Sugarcane Farmers Association – the biggest group among the several farmers associations in Iloilo and Capiz provinces.
According to Divinagracia, even the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said the country has about 214,713.80 metric tons inventory of sugar which is currently sufficient for all consumers. And, sugarcane milling is still ongoing.
“This is exactly the reason why SRA through administrator (David) Alba instructed us to comment on the CSDI’s request to the President. I have been informed that our comrades in other associations have exactly the same sentiments: no importations in the middle of the milling season,” said Divinagracia.
He added, “We all know sugar prices can easily be manipulated. The sugar traders simply tell us that there is oversupply so they buy sugar at bargain prices. We, sugarcane farmers, simply accept the prices offered because we need cash as soon as our crop is milled. We still have not recovered from the exorbitant fertilizer prices and the ever increasing farm inputs costs”.
Divinagracia further said they cannot allow the CSDI to import sugar this January because they are in the middle of this season’s milling and the farmer-members are hard put to deliver their canes due to erratic weather. Importation will only dampen “favorable prices” farmers are getting right now and that they have yet to recover from the losses of previous crop years, he said, adding that, “We all know how insidious these traders are, and, only they will benefit from this importation”.
“We are therefore appealing to his Excellency, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., NOT TO APPROVE THE REQUEST OF THE CSDI TO IMPORT PREMIUM REFINED SUGAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS 2022-2023 MILLING SEASON. Maybe CSDI can renew its request after all sugar stocks in the country are inventoried and real and factual deficit in premium sugar stocks are determined”, Divinagracia said.
The local farmers group president is also appealing to local leaders to help voice this concern especially to first lady, Atty. Liza Marcos, whose heart is always one with the small farmers and farm workers./PN
