The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has issued a memorandum circular outlining the implementing guidelines for the issuance of permits to transport sugarcane plants and planting materials, amid the continued spread of the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) in the Visayas.
RSSI is a pest known to reduce sugar content by up to 50 percent.
According to Memorandum Circular No. 9, Series of 2025—dated August 12 but published only on Thursday—the directive is crucial to preventing the spread of pests and diseases to other sugarcane-growing areas in the country.
The document emphasized that a transport monitoring and enforcement system will be implemented to achieve this goal. It will cover the movement of sugarcane plants and planting materials from quarantined areas due to pest infestation or deadly diseases; inter-island transport; release of new sugarcane varieties; and the transport of imported sugarcane varieties.
The SRA stated in the circular that, aside from filing a form, those intending to transport sugarcane must submit geotagged photos and any additional documents that the Department of Agriculture (DA) or the Bureau of Plant Industry may require to address safety concerns, as deemed necessary.
The agency added that other possible requirements include a license to operate as an importer, plant quarantine clearance, sanitary or phytosanitary import clearance, and pest risk analysis results.
The SRA said it will verify submitted documents and validate shipment details. Upon approval of the application, the agency will issue a transport permit with a unique identification number or QR code for real-time recording and monitoring.
As of July 17, 2025, RSSI infestation in the Visayas had expanded to 2,988 hectares, up from 2,923.13 hectares on July 9.
Last month, the provincial government of Negros Occidental declared a state of calamity due to the effects of Tropical Storm Crising and the spread of RSSI.
SRA Administrator Pablo Azcona said the declaration enabled the agency to expedite the procurement of pesticides and utilize a P10 million assistance from the DA to help affected sugarcane crops recover or remain protected from RSSI.
However, the SRA has yet to provide a more recent update on the extent of the infestation.
Based on the DA’s latest monitoring of public markets in the National Capital Region, prevailing retail prices as of Thursday (August 21) ranged from P74 to P90 per kilogram for refined sugar, P68 to P88 per kg for washed sugar, and O65 to P90 per kg for brown sugar.
SRA millsite monitoring also showed that the composite price of raw sugar as of May 19—when millers last operated—was P2,415 per 50-kg bag.
