Sugar planters push cloud seeding 

The United Sugar Producers’ Federation of the Philippines (Unifed) has urged the government to initiate cloud seeding operations in sugarcane areas to alleviate dry conditions caused by the onset of El Niño.

Unifed President Manuel Lamata said the sugar industry, particularly thousands of sugar farmers and workers, will grapple with “significant challenges” if the issue remains unsolved.

“The lack of sufficient rainfall is adversely affecting crop growth, reducing yield potential, and increasing the risk of substantial economic losses,” Lamata said in separate letters to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) head Pablo Luis Azcona and Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson.

The SRA, for its part, said the agency is preparing to implement cloud seeding and will coordinate with concerned local government units.

Mitigating drought

Lamata said the government’s prompt action will help not only preserve current crops but also ensure the stability and sustainability of the sugar industry in the coming months.

“Given these circumstances, immediate cloud seeding intervention is crucial to help alleviate water scarcity, support irrigation needs, and mitigate the negative impact of drought on sugarcane production,” he added.

Negros Occidental is the Philippines’ top sugar-producing province, accounting for about 60 percent of the total sugar production.

The SRA has allocated the entire sugar production for crop year 2025-2026 to “B” or domestic market, anticipating a lower output due to pest infestation and weather disruptions.

It projected local production to reach 1.92 million MT for crop year 2025-2026, down 7.9 percent from the previous crop year.

The SRA flagged the possibility of reduced sugar output because of the red-striped soft scale insects infestation and excessive rainfall in Negros, based on Sugar Order No. 1 promulgated last September.

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For the third consecutive year in 2026, the SRA launched the export of raw sugar to the United States to prop up sugar prices and address the market glut.

The SRA said there are no estimates yet on the potential production cut due to El Niño. INQ

As of March 22, sugar production stood at 1.35 million metric tons (MT), down 4.2 percent from 1.41 million MT in the same period a year ago, data from the SRA showed.

Meanwhile, sugar prices declined by 17.47 percent to P2,284.43 per 50-kilogram bag from P2,767.84 per 50-kg bag a year ago.