BACOLOD City – Due to the vital issues affecting the sugar industry, the Sugar Council has collaborated with the National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines (NACUSIP).
The council is an alliance of three sugar farmers federations composed ofthe Confederation of Sugar Producers’ Associations, Inc. (CONFED); National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP); and Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers (PANAYFED).“In behalf of the Sugar Council, I invite NACUSIP and other similarly-minded groups to collaborate with our three planters federations, to jointly work for the welfare of sugar farmers and workers”, said NFSP president Enrique Rojas.
He said one of the most important issues that the Sugar Council, NACUSIP and other industry groups should work on is sugar importation.
He admitted that, while the country currently cannot produce enough sugar to satisfy domestic demand, any importation should undergo transparent and inclusive consultation with all affected stakeholders.
“The government should publicly disclose the figures used as basis for the computation of the volume of sugar to be imported, and ensure that the timing of the imported sugar’s arrival will not affect millgate sugar prices,” Rojas emphasized.
Sugar farmers will appreciate government measures which can demonstrate its concern for the welfare of sugar farmers and workers, he also said.
He further said that it is hardly comforting to read statements from the Sugar Regulatory Administration(SRA) apparently favoring traders in this latest export-import scheme.
Rojas referred to the scheme wherein traders who previously purchased local sugar at a premium price of P2,700 per bag were granted the right to export sugar “at a loss” to the United States in exchange for rights to import much cheaper sugar from the world market./PN
