INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to fast-track the entry of refined sugar imports is not yet cast in stone since the matter has to be discussed with stakeholders.
“We will be accessing the MAV (minimum access volume) scheme but nothing has been finalized,” said Rex Estoperez, deputy spokesperson for the DA.
The MAV Advisory Council is yet to convene to tackle the president’s plan to accelerate the entry of imported refined sugar, Estoperez said in a radio interview.
“We are saying that we might import 64,050 metric tons of sugar. We are in discussions with the Sugar Regulatory Administration and the MAV Secretariat. The MAV council is yet to convene. We are still waiting for the position of our stakeholders,” added Estoperez.
MAV refers to the volume of a specific agricultural product that can be imported with a lower tariff.