Sugar production target exceeded

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines exceeded its sugar production target for the current crop year at the end of the million season, according to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).

The SRA said that domestic sugar production reached 2.243 million metric tons (MT) as of July 8, slightly higher than the target production of 2.242 million MT for the crop year ending August 2012.

All sugar mills have already stopped operations.

This year’s production, however, is lower by 5.86 percent from last year’s 2.382 million MT.

The SRA had lowered its production target for 2012 from 2.42 million MT sugar to 2.242 million MT after farmers and miller reported that volume of sugarcane harvests were lower compared to last year.

Meanwhile, the government is reviewing its program for the production of rubber, a top industrial crop which has a potential to provide livelihood.

The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) said there is a growing market for rubber in China.

“We are continuing to assess how to reach out to farmers and entrepreneurs in the rubber sector which can create many jobs considering the huge growing market for rubber in China and other economically advanced countries,” said BAR director Nicomedes Eleazar.

The BAR is currently funding the implementation of a research, development, and extension project in rubber in Mindoro with the DA-MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) research division.

Eleazar said that the investment climate for rubber is becoming attractive. Prices have doubled from P30 per kilo to P70 per kilo.

The local rubber industry is challenged by the steep cost of seeds, fertilizer, labor for clearing lands and planting. This excludes the cash needs of farm families for their living expenses while waiting for rubber trees to produce latex.

It takes five years for a budded seedling-a seedling that receives its top stem from a mature, short-gestating, good quality rubber tree-to become ready for latex tapping.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) earlier said that the government is eyeing the development of the rubber industry to take advantage of the increased demand of Yokohama Tire Philippines Inc., a major buyer of the country’s rubber output.

Yokohama Tire currently produces 21,000 tires per day and its production capacity is seen to expand to 50,000 tires per day by 2017. The government targets to increase the Philippine rubber share in the firm’s requirement by 50 percent in 2017.

Yokohama Tire, a subsidiary of the Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. of Japan, is located at the Clark Freeport Zone and has more than 1,600 regular employees. About 96 percent of its production is exported worldwide, while the balance is for local sales. –Czeriza Valencia (The Philippine Star)