President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. yesterday said the government will identify tracks of land to be planted to sugar that will increase the production of the sweetener.
This developed as the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) yesterday called for the immediate implementation of a suggested retail price (SRP) on onions while agriculture stakeholders clamor for the importation of 8,000 metric tons (MT) of the crop by July.
In a video message released by the Presidential Communication Office, Marcos said he met with sugar industry representatives and agreed to identify “areas that we should now categorizing as sugarland to increase the hectarage and boost the production of sugar.”
At the meeting yesterday were representatives of small sugar farmers and block farmers, millers, domestic traders such as United Sugar Producers Federation, Luzon Federation of Sugar Producers Inc. , Kabankalan-Ilog Planters Association.
Marcos also said he is open to reviving, and revitalizing, the Philippine Sugar Corp. which provides financing for cooperatives and farmers associations. The agency was dissolved in 2019.
Marcos also said government and stakeholders agreed on an importation schedule of the proposed 150,000 MT of sugar and on how traders can participate in the plan for transparency.
During the meeting, Hinigaran, Negros Occidental Mayor Jose Nadie Arceo said almost all of the available land in his province is already covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program maintained by small farmers or small farmers groups that need help in the production cost, such as fertilizers, to increase their yield.
Land planted to sugar has been declining the past five years, from 409,714 hectares in crop year 2018-2019 to 384,487 ha in the current crop year ending August.
Meanwhile, Jose Diego Roxas, BPI spokesperson, said during the Laging Handa public briefing yesterday the agency is still studying the right SRP on onion to ensure the rates “will not affect the income of anyone.”
Roxas said importation also remains under study especially on the proper timing so as not to negatively local farmers.
Jayson Cainglet, SINAG executive director, said SRP is a “toothless mechanism” and that BPI should track the supply now in cold storages.Roxas said at present, supply of white onions in the country can last up until the middle of July while red onions are sufficient until November to December this year.
SINAG said there is a consensus for the government to bring in around 8,000 metric tons of white onions that must arrive by July. – With Jed Macapagal
