US gives PH add’l sugar export quota

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has received additional raw sugar export quota from the United States for fiscal year 2027, even as local farmers are grappling with pest infestation.

The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) says the Philippines received an additional 9,151 metric tons raw value (MTRV) for the period covering Oct. 1, 2026 to Sept. 30, 2027.

READ: Imports, pests and alternative sweeteners threaten PH sugar industry

This is on top of the initial allocation of 145,235 MTRV received by the country for the period. The allotment has remained unchanged since 2023.

The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) says the country will formally seek an extension from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to meet its export commitment.

“The SRA wrote to the USDA asking for an extension for the time to make a formal commitment. We need to monitor and verify our raw production,” SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona says.

In July, the USTR announced it earmarked 1.12 million MTRV in export quota for raw cane sugar for FY 2027. The Philippines holds the second-biggest export quota from Washington, after the Dominican Republic.

The remaining 55,993 MTRV has recently been farmed out to 28 countries, including the Philippines.

Through the US tariff-rate quota (TRQ) system, certain countries are allowed to export specified quantities of a product to the US at a “relatively low tariff.”

This is part of Washington’s commitment under the World Trade Organization (WTO) to provide export quota to some sugar-exporting nations.

READ: DA, SRA assure stakeholders: No new sugar imports until June 2026

“The allocations of the raw cane sugar WTO TRQ to countries that are net importers of sugar are conditioned on receipt of the appropriate verifications of origin,” the USTR says.

Certificates of quota eligibility must accompany imports from any country. INQ