Sugar group lauds senators, NegOcc PB for supporting call to stop importation

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NEGROS. Negros Occidental Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer stresses that the province will not allow the importation of 200,000 metric tons of sugar at this time where milling season is still at its peak. (Teresa Ellera)

NEGROS. Negros Occidental Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer stresses that the province won’t permit the importation of 200,000 metric tons of sugar right now the place milling season continues to be at its peak. (Teresa Ellera)

Erwin P. Nicavera, Teresa D. Ellera

February 16, 2022

THE United Sugar Producers Federation (Unifed), one of many largest federations of sugar planters within the nation, has lauded the transfer of Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri and Imee Marcos in calling for a Senate inquiry into the importation of agricultural merchandise, together with sugar.

The sugar group additionally thanked Negros Occidental Provincial Board for its unanimous objection to sugar importation whereas milling is at its peak.

Unifed president Handbook Lamata, in a press release Wednesday, February 16, mentioned they’re grateful for “our champions within the Senate” for his or her robust stance towards ill-planned sugar importation and for looking for an inquiry into the “questionable importation” program of the Division of Agriculture (DA) and Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).”

On Monday, February 14, Zubiri filed Senate Decision 995 to research the issuance of Sugar Order 3 (SO3) that permits the importation of 200,000 metric tons (MT) of sugar.

In his decision, the Negrense senator directed the Committee on Agriculture, Meals and Agrarian Reform to conduct an inquiry, in support of laws, on permitting the importation of sugar even on the top of the harvest and milling season, in addition to importation packages of the Division of Agriculture on different agricultural merchandise with the top in view of crafting coverage that can guarantee assist for farmers and meals safety as an alternative of import dependency.

Marcos on Sunday, February 13, additionally assailed the DA’s importation program, notably on fish produce and “regrets” endorsing the affirmation of Agriculture Secretary William Dar.

Marcos, in a press assertion, mentioned “Dar has performed nothing however import rice, hen, pork, fish, and now sugar.”

Earlier, the Provincial Board of Negros Occidental handed of a decision objecting to SO3.

“We’re very grateful to our provincial officers for supporting our name,” Lamata mentioned, including that “they clearly perceive that sugar stays as our financial lifeline and something that impacts the trade can have a significant influence in our lives right here.”

The decision said that the timing of the entry of the imported sugar into the Philippines will coincide with the continued milling season, which is able to severely have an effect on the revenue of sugar farmers who in the meanwhile are reeling from the prohibitive value of fertilizer and gas.

“Solely every week earlier than the issuance of SO3, the SRA administrator has come out saying that there was no motive for costs to extend since provide is secure regardless of the consequences of Storm Odette,” it said, including that “in impact, Administrator Serafica, has directed monitoring on costs if wanted, impose acceptable sanctions on sellers.”

The Provincial Board believed that permitting industrial customers alone to take part within the import program, to the exclusion of customers, end-users and sugar producers is detrimental to the customers, sugar farmers and different stakeholders of the sugar trade.

With the inflow of imported sugar, the sugar producers who’re nonetheless reeling from the destruction of their plantations and services must carry the added burden of competing with cheaper costs of the imported sugar, it mentioned.

“Therefore, excluding sugar producers within the sugar import program is an added insult to the damage, it added.

The federation members, who earlier mentioned there’s “one thing fishy” with SO3, have been just lately granted a brief restraining order (TRO) towards SO3 for 20 days.

For his half, Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer mentioned Decision 0126 Collection of 2022 was unanimously accepted by the SP throughout its common session on Tuesday, February 15.

The province won’t permit the importation of 200,000 MT of sugar right now the place milling season continues to be at its peak, he mentioned.