Gov't urged to probe disparity in sugar prices

The government was urged to investigate the rising gap between retail and millsite prices of sugar, with Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) suspecting that “there are sectors profiting largely" at the expense of local sugar farmers, workers, and producers.

Following a consultation with sugar stakeholders, SRA officials now suspect that rising price of retail sugar are being manipulated by wholesalers and retailers.

Roland Beltran, who represents the millers in the SRA Board, said that millgate prices of sugar for the past months have been holding steady at 11,450 to 11,500 per 50-kilo bag.

He also said that sugar millers' warehouses "are filled to the brim with sugar, thus any hike in sugar prices is artificial and being manipulated.”

“When retail prices of sugar goes beyond 160 per kilo, that should reflect double the existing mill gate price,” Beltran said.

Based on the price monitoring of SRA, the retail price of refined sugar went up to as high as 168.80 a kilo during the first week of this month. It now averages around 152 to 165 a kilo.

Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations, Inc. (CONFED) Board Member Salvador Escalante said earlier that a retail price of 160 a kilo for sugar means the millsite price has to be around 13,000 per 50-kilo bag.

“We have not been remiss in reminding the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to do their job and monitor retail prices of sugar because at the end of the day, it will be the producers who will be at the receiving end of this problem,” Emilio Yulo, who represents the sugar producers in the SRA Board, said.