Farmers groups support Confed call for consultative, transparent import plan

July 2, 2024

“The NFSP and PANAYFED are united with CONFED in calling for a data-based, transparent and consultative sugar importation plan.”

This statement was released by Enrique D. Rojas, president of the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters, and Danilo A. Abelita, president of the Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers, amid the recent announcement of government’s plan to import 200,000 metric tons of refined sugar to arrive by September.

The statement further debunks malicious insinuations that the Sugar Council, an umbrella organization representing 67% of the production of affiliated sugarcane farmers and composed on the Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations (CONFED), NFSP and PANAYFED, has disbanded.

“Our united commitment in the Sugar Council remains strong in advocating for the welfare of the majority of sugarcane farmers in the country,” Rojas and Abelita stressed.

Last week, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. announced that the government plans to authorize the importation of 200,000 mt refined sugar to arrive by September, which is traditionally the start of the milling season. The arrival of imported sugar at the start of the milling season will exert downward pressure on sugar prices.

The NFSP issued a statement published Friday last week that government should import only when it is absolutely necessary, and in such manner and schedule that the importation will not affect millgate prices.

Also Friday last week, CONFED president Aurelio Gerardo J. Valderrama, Jr. wrote to Sec. Laurel that the report about government’s plan to import 200,000 mt refined sugar did not include any basis for such plan, and neither was any stakeholder consultation conducted.

Valderrama shared that current available data from the SRA, dated June 9, 2024, indicate adequate sugar inventory levels of both raw (436,229 MT) and refined (492,985 MT) sugar. He pointed out that current rates of withdrawal indicate that local inventory can last without importation until the start of the milling season later this year.

“We call on the SRA to conduct a stakeholder consultation and enlighten us on the basis of the proposed sugar importation plan. We need to see the sugar production and demand figures which were used as basis for such a plan,” further said Rojas and Abelita.* (PR)