THE sugar harvest is going well despite projections that El Niño could slash production, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said on Thursday, Sept. 14.
An SRA order published this week projected a 10 percent to 15 percent “drop in [sugar] production… depending on the severity of the anticipated El Niño phenomenon.”
“Okay pa tayo. Iyong expected po na El Niño is November to January yata iyong forecast ng PAGASA, so we will monitor the severity of this and we will see if it will bring about a decrease on the estimated production or hindi,” said SRA administrator Pablo Luis Azcona.
“We are in the beginning of the harvest season. Parang okay iyong lumalabas na yield per hectare ng mga farmers. And iyon lang, ang kinakatakutan natin is the effect of El Niño and sugar crop year ends in August 30, 2024,” he said in a public briefing.
SRA’s latest order estimated raw sugar production at 1.85 million metric tons for crop year 2023 to 2024.
Azcona said the supply would be enough for the projected demand of 2.2 to 2.3 million metric tons. The country will also have at least two months in buffer stock on raw sugar, he said.
While sugar’s farm gate prices have “stabilized” at P60, government continues trying to improve production, added the official.
Eighty tractors from Japan will be released soon to help farmers boost sugar production, he said.
“We have seen an increase in area po in various places, which is a good sign. Nag-increase din iyong inputs and fertilizer, so iyong farmers natin gumagastos na ulit sa mga field nila, kasi hopeful sila sa farmgate,” he said.
“Sa SRA side, we are continuing our block farm program, where we organize the small farmers of one to two hectares into block farms of 30 hectares or more. Magbibigay tayo ng cash assistance for start-up capital nila and nagbibigay din tayo ng brand new tractors,” he said. (ABS-CBN News)
