Sugar firms keen on later milling

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The Philippine Sugar Millers Association Inc. (PSMA) backs a proposal to postpone the start of the milling season by two weeks to improve their chances for a better yield.

In a statement on Wednesday, the PSMA said the two-week delay in milling could result in better cane maturity and possibly bigger volumes amid the adverse impact of the El Niño climate phenomenon on their harvest.

“While the association does not have the authority to change the start date, it will encourage mills to consider the delay,” it said.

The SRA said earlier several farmers’ groups approached the agency to adjust the beginning of the milling season by at least two weeks as an El Niño-induced dry spell had stunted the growth of crops.

READ: Milling season timing divides sugar industry

SRA administrator Pablo Luis Azcona had requested PSMA president Terence Uygongco to convene concerned industry stakeholders and come up with a collective decision to adjust the start date to Oct. 1 from the initial schedule of Sept. 15.

“Harvesting the canes by Sept. 15 will yield less sugar for farmers,” Azcona said.

The PSMA said many mills have prepared accordingly following the SRA’s previous advisory to commence milling on Sept. 15 for crop year 2024-2025.

“In recent communications, SRA reiterated this date and suggested a uniform start for all mills,” it added.

Based on its website, the PSMA has 16 mills under its belt accounting for 78 percent of local sugar output.

The SRA had implied the entire sugar production for this forthcoming crop year might be allotted for domestic consumption as local production remains insufficient to meet the demand for this sweetener.

Domestic production in the previous crop year was 1.9 million metric tons (MT) while demand ranged at 2.3 million MT to 2.4 million MT.