BIZ BUZZ: Word war in sugarlandia

The heated exchange among industry stakeholders is taking a turn for the worse.

Sugar farmers from Luzon and Mindanao are rallying behind the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), which suspended any sugar importation decision until mid-2025 to get a clearer picture of the situation on the ground.

“Rest assured, we stand ready to support and collaborate in any initiatives that further strengthen our agriculture industry,” Sugarcane Growers Association of Bukidnon Inc. (Sgabi) president Manuel Antonio Zubiri said.

The manifesto of support was read during the 23rd Joint Annual General Assembly of Sgabi and the Sugarcane Farmers of Bukidnon Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SFBMPC) held in Bukidnon.

This faction took heart from the government’s assurance about the stability of sugar supply and the commencement of the harvest season.

Somewhere in Batangas, on the other hand, the Luzon Federation of Sugarcane Growers Inc. (Luzonfed) banded together to show their support during the assembly of the Batangas Integrated Sugar Planters Multi-Purpose Cooperative.

Luzonfed said the decision to hold off importation provides “significant relief” to local farmers who have been grappling with the “negative impact of excessive imports” on local pricing and the challenges imposed by weather disturbances including the El Niño phenomenon.

“By postponing imports until mid-2025, farmers can optimize their harvests and foster a more sustainable local industry,” Luzonfed president Cornelio Toreja said.

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Over the weekend, the Sugar Council and the National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry (Nacusip) reiterated “there is no malice” in their last statement seeking explanation from the SRA on the steady drop in sugar prices in the last few weeks despite the declining demand.

“As the government regulating agency on sugar, the SRA is mandated to answer truthfully the concerns and issues raised by industry stakeholders. To ask for an explanation, therefore, should not be deemed malicious,” both groups said in a joint statement.

What’s malicious, the Sugar Council and the Nacusip pointed out, was selective data presentation. They lamented the declaration of no further importation without disclosing imports that have already arrived and will soon come.

With the bickering far from over, grab some popcorn while waiting for these factions to sort things out.