SRA sees slight rise in sugar production

The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is expecting a slight increase in the industry’s sugar output as a new crop year begins this month.

Last week, the agency issued its first sugar order wherein it projected sugar production to increase to 2.1 million metric tons from 2.07 million MT in the last crop year, which began in September last year and ended in August this year.

Of this volume, 1.98 million MT, or 95 percent, would be earmarked for domestic consumption, while 5 percent would be for the country’s annual exportation to the United States under a preferential trade scheme.

The sugar order stood even when several producers said the coming crop year might even be worse than their previous harvest, citing the lack of manpower and the unpredictable weather.

An industry leader who refused to be identified said Batangas, Panay, Tarlac, Cagayan and Northern Negros were expecting lower yields in the coming crop season, leaving Mindanao as the only possible source of a bountiful sugarcane harvest.

The relatively flat output would likely prompt another wave of importation as the country needs to maintain at least 2.2 million MT of sugar to meet local demand.

The sugar industry is currently faced with lower output and rising production costs while sugar prices have remained low.