SRA expects drop in sugar production for crop year 2023-2024

Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) | FILE PHOTO

BACOLOD CITY — The country’s entire sugar production for crop year 2023 – 2024, which was estimated to drop by 10 to 15 percent, has been classified as “B” or domestic market sugar effective immediately.

Sugar Order 1 No. Series of 2023-2024 released by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) board on Monday, September 11, said the country’s total raw sugar production for the new crop year that covers Sept. 1, 2023 to Aug. 31, 2024 is estimated at 1.85 million metric tons (MT), with an estimated drop in production of 10 to 15 percent depending on the severity of the anticipated El Niño phenomenon.

The total domestic raw sugar withdrawal for crop year 2023-2024 is estimated at 2.20 million MT more or less, it said.

The order states that 100 percent of the expected 1.85 million MT shall be quedanned by the mill companies as “B” or Domestic Market Sugar.

The SRA will undertake periodic assessments of the crop year 2023-2024 sugar production and withdrawals trend.

On the basis of such assessment, SRA may from time to time adjust the percentage allocation/distribution to other classes of sugar in accordance with its power and function and to establish domestic, export and reserve allocation, it said.

Sugar Order No. 1 was signed by Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban, SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Alcona and Sugar Board Members Ma. Mitzi Mangwag and David Andrew Sanson.

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JPV