Gov’t moves to push up sugar farmgate prices

Azcona said they have discussed the government’s plan to directly engage with local farmers in purchasing sugar products

The government will buy sugar directly from local farmers at premium prices to push upward low farmgate prices for the commodity, Sugar Regulatory Administrator Pablo Azcona said Sunday.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Undersecretary Emmie Liza Perez-Chiong have met millers, traders and farmers at the Department of Agriculture last Friday to push the purchase, Azcona said.

Perez-Chiong is also the president and CEO of the Philippine International Trading Corporation. She and Laurel also met federation leaders at the DA office in Quezon City.

Azcona said they have discussed the government’s plan to directly engage with local farmers in purchasing sugar products.

“It was a momentous event as the last time industry stakeholders sat down together was probably eight years ago. We hope this will be the beginning of a unified industry that openly communicates and supports each other,” Azcona said.

Represented in the meeting were the United Sugar Producers Federation, Confederation of Sugar Producers Association Inc., National Federation of Sugarcane Planters, Luzon Federation of Sugarcane Growers and Associations, Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers Inc., Philippine Sugar Millers Association, and the Philippine Association of Sugar Refiners.

P2,500/50 kilos

Azcona said the federations, as well as the groups of sugar farmers and traders, have helped the government craft the mechanics in buying local sugar products directly.

“We also discussed steps to be taken to further enhance productivity and profitability, ensure the stability of sugar supply for consumers and industrial users, better retail prices, and keeping in mind that the sugar farmer is also a retail consumer,” he added.

However, he did not provide details yet on purchasing schedules and possible prices. Farmgate sugar prices range between P2,400 and P2,500 per 50 kilograms.

Azcona said the government buying sugar products directly from local farmers will push farmgate prices up while lowering retail prices.

Sugar federations previously sought intervention from Laurel and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. when the farmgate prices of sugar plummeted since the start of the milling season in September.