The government said it would not allow sugar imports until the second quarter of 2026 amid concerns over the drop in the farmgate prices of the sweetener.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. recently met with Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona and SRA Board Member Dave Sanson to address low prices of raw sugar during the first bidding in Negros last October 9.
The DA said initial discussions with sugar traders revealed that market hesitation, largely influenced by conflicting statements from sugarcane farmer groups, resulted in major traders refraining from purchasing sugar during the previous bidding.
With this, they assured stakeholders that there would be no sugar importation until the end of the current milling season, which is projected between May and June next year.
‘Let us be clear-there is, and never was, any talk of an importation program for Crop Year 2025-2026 until we finish significant milling, have firm production figures, and ensure any imports would only be classified as C or reserve sugar.’
In the same meeting, the officials agreed that a two-month buffer stock of refined sugar would be maintained to ensure market stability.
All sugar imports, if any, would continue to be classified strictly as C or reserve sugar, thus it would not directly enter the domestic market.
‘This move assures our farmers that the current administration prioritizes their welfare. It’s a welcome development, and we hope this stabilizes prices now that speculation has been addressed,’ Sanson said.
The DA noted that since 2022, the sugar industry has seen a steady expansion in planted areas-from 380,000 hectares to 409,000 hectares this year.
Meanwhile, some 226,693 metric tons (MT) of the 424,000 MT approved import volume under Sugar Order 8 in the previous crop year 2024-2025 have entered the country as of September 28, based on the latest SRA data.
For crop year 2025-2026, the SRA said raw sugar production could fall to 1.92 million metric tons (MMT) as torrential downpours and pest infestation battered plantations in Negros, which accounts for 65 percent of total output of the sweetener.
However, the agency noted that output in the current crop year may even be lower than the initial forecast owing to the potential impact of red-striped soft-scale insects (RSSI) infestation on yield.
The average price of refined sugar in Metro Manila remains stable at P84.77 per kilo, while raw sugar settled at P76.38 per kilo, latest SRA reports showed.