BACOLOD City – A local sugar producers’ group expressed support to the government in curbing high inflation in the country.
“We, sugar industry leaders and stakeholders, are prepared to work alongside government agencies to help in curbing inflation,” said the Negros-based Confederation of Sugar Producers president Ferdinand Marañon.
Marañon fielded the statement after President Rodrigo Duterte issued Administrative Order (AO) No. 13, which removes non-tariff barriers to the importation of rice and other agricultural products like sugar.
The AO was directed to the Department of Agriculture, National Food Authority, Sugar Regulatory Administration, and Department of Trade and Industry.
The President’s economic advisers have recommended steps that need to be “immediately” taken to arrest inflation.
In August, the country’s inflation rate rose to 6.4 percent from July’s 5.7 percent – the highest it reached in nine years.
“There is an urgent need to tame the price spikes of basic agricultural commodities by adopting measures that remove non-tariff barriers and streamline administrative procedures to allow importation,” part of Duterte’s AO stated.
The government wants to prevent supply shortage in the country, thus ensuring stable prices of products in the domestic market.
“At present, sugar supply and prices in the country are stable and with the commencement of the milling season, this will further ensure market stability,” Marañon said.
Farmers in Negros Occidental have earlier expressed opposition on the planned “open sugar importation” in the country.
“This is a threat for us,” said Enrique Tayo of the Negros Occidental Federation of Farmers, adding that thousands of farmers would be disadvantaged.
General Alliance of Workers Association head Winnie Sancho affirmed this, saying: “Importing sugar is not the solution to the current inflation problem.”
Sugar importation will “instead lead to an economic disaster – many cooperatives will be forced to close down…many workers will lose jobs,” he stressed./PN
