Sugar

MANILA, Philippines – The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) yesterday said the sugar situation in the Philippines is “better” than that of other countries because there is no shortage of production.

THE Philippines’ largest sugar producer is backing a government plan to import the commodity, which would be the country’s first foreign purchase since it became self-sufficient.

AMID the skyrocketing sugar prices today, the projected extreme bad weather conditions this year is expected to further take a toll on the country’s declining cane output, Victorias Milling Co. Inc. said.

MANILA, Philippines – Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap has directed the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to submit a new suggested retail price (SRP) for sugar after prices of refined sugar soared to P60 per kilo in several Metro Manila retail outlets.

MANILA, Philippines –  Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila is in favor of allocating a portion of the planned 150,000 metric ton (MT) importation of sugar for industrial users, contrary to the Sugar Regulatory Administration’s position not to do so.

MANILA, Philippines – Beverage companies are allegedly hoarding sugar which adds to the supply shortage and the increase in the price of the product, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said yesterday.

Over breakfast at the Tuesday Club this week, Agriculture Secretary Art Yap redeemed this administration from the impression that it does not know what it is doing on the sugar situation. Secretary Yap confessed that he was surprised when he read newspaper stories quoting DTI Secretary Peter Favila saying government-to-government importations will be immediately resorted…

Local sugar millers should take the challenge of DTI Secretary Peter Favila “to just export all their outputs.” Favila bravely asserted that the government can already take care of domestic sugar supply via government-to-government import deals. True to form, Favila does not appear to know what he is talking about.

MANILA, Philippines – As sugar prices continue to increase, the government said they will be importing sugar immediately in order to provide affordable sugar to consumers.

A lawmaker is pushing for the immediate passage of a measure giving more power to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) in a bid to curb the rampant sugar smuggling in the Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines – High global sugar prices are likely to prevail for the next two years, according to Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) head Rafael Coscolluela.

MANILA, Philippines – Small sugarcane producers aligned with the Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PhilDHRRA) are appealing to the government to delay lowering the tariff cover on sugar to give sugar sector more time to adjust to trade liberalization.

MANILA, Philippines – Supply of refined sugar has tightened and consumers have reported soaring sugar prices in recent days despite a government-imposed price cap.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has gained a tariff concession from its Association of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN) neighbors, allowing the country to maintain its tariff on sugar instead of reducing it to five percent next year, said Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap said yesterday.

THE largest US sugar-growering group disputes an Agriculture Department forecast of an 89-percent drop in Mexican supplies and opposes looser import restrictions.

US FOOD companies including General Mills Inc., Kraft Foods Inc. and ConAgra Foods Inc. want the US government to raise sugar-import quotas as inventories fell to a 34-year low and prices surged.

Local sugar production has suffered a double-digit drop for the crop year 2008-2009 due to typhoons that ravaged plantations during the period, the government said Friday. According to Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) chief Rafael Coscolluela, sugar production dropped by 15 percent to 2.09 million metric tons (MT) from 2.4 million MT in 2007 and 2008…

The Philippines, Southeast Asia’s second-biggest sugar exporter, may increase overseas sales by 18 percent next year, helping narrow the deficit in global supply and likely slowing gains in world prices of the commodity.

THE Philippines is proposing a gradual reduction in sugar tariffs in Southeast Asia as a “middle ground” between Filipino farmers’ plea for protection and the country’s commitment to bring down trade barriers, Trade Secretary Peter Favila said over the weekend.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines was unable to convince its Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) neighbors to re-classify sugar and include it in the highly sensitive list, a ranking government official said.

BACOLOD CITY – Sugar cooperatives no longer have to pay the value-added tax (VAT) on their sugar produce with the signing into law of the Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri said on Tuesday.

Victorias Milling Co. Inc. is looking for a company that could raise between P8 billion and P10 billion to repay debts and finance the modernization of its refinery.

THE Philippines, Southeast Asia’s second-biggest sugar exporter, lowered its output forecast by about 11 percent, after heavy rains curbed production of cane milled to make the sweetener, a government official said yesterday.

The Philippines stands a strong chance of getting an additional sugar quota to the United States  next year, according to Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) head Rafael Coscolluela said yesterday.

Sugar industry leaders in the country yesterday called for a review of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), as it criticized its “inherent flaws” which, they claimed, even defeats its noble purpose of liberating farmers from the bondage of tenancy.