Governor Lacson agrees to sugar importation, but says volume and timing must be considered

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said that any importation of sugar should take into consideration the “volume and timing.”

Lacson’s statement came after the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) have recommended the importation of 450,000 metric tons of sugar following the instruction of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to maintain a two-month sugar buffer stock and bring down retail prices.

The Negros Occidental governor said the sugar industry “ever since is not totally against the importation of sugar.”

“We’re not against it as long as it will avoid smuggling and it is well studied as to the volume and timing when this imported sugar will come in,” he pointed out.

As to the need for Sugar Regulatory Administration and the sugar industry to consult the provincial government as Negros Occidental is the sugar capital of the Philippines, Lacson said “the sugar industry is a very matured industry already.”

“It really needs very little intervention from the government. It can stand on its own. The only time they will reach out to the government is when it feels that there is smuggled sugar coming in and importation. These are issues that the sugar industry and the government can work hand and hand,” he pointed out.

When asked about timing of the importation, Lacson said “right now we’re milling and we don’t want this sugar to come in right now.”

“The timing is at the end of the milling season, during the tiempos muertos,” he added.* (EYA)