Sugar workers and agrarian reform beneficiaries most affected with excessive importation

The National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines (NACUSIP) thru its National President Roland de la Cruz expressed alarm over the recent policy pronouncment of the Sugar Regulatory Administration to import 200,000 metric tons of sugar contained in its Sugar Order No. 3.

“Sugar importation especially at the height of the milling season will have serious and debilitating effect on local producers especially small farm cultivators such as agrarian reform beneficiaries, small planters and sugar field workers”, de la Cruz laments.

This call is to support the growing clamor of major sugar producers and planters’ association in calling for SRA to reconsider its policy on the importation of 200,000 metric tons of sugar at the height of this crop year’s milling season.

“Whenever prices of domestic sugar are affected caused by excessive sugar importation and high cost of production including the current expensive prices of fertilizers, those who does not have enough cash reserves and credit access such as ARB farmers and small farm cultivators will be the biggest losers. Sugar industry farm employers will likewise downsize and limit sugar producing activities that will affect the incomes of sugar farm workers as well”, de la Cruz added.

We also express our appreciation to Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan for coming out against this sugar importation by SRA amidst the ongoing milling season in his campaign speech yesterday in Balayan, Batangas which is a sugar producing area in Batangas as well as the host to the Universal Robina Corporation Sugar and Renewables sugar mill.

“We demand that SRA will rescind Sugar Order No. 3 and refrain further actions at the expense of the sugar industry stakeholders. We are one with the planters and millers associations in whatever protest actions to be taken against this insensitive acts of SRA”.* (Roland C. de la Cruz, National President, NACUSIP)