Sharp drop in sugar prices alarms Negros lawmakers

Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) | FILE PHOTO

BACOLOD CITY — Lawmakers from the Negros Island Region (NIR) called on the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to take immediate action to address the sharp decline in sugar prices, which left farmers struggling to recover their production costs.

In a joint statement on Tuesday, the 10 representatives said the drop in sugar prices — “well below the cost of production” — threatened rural livelihoods, food security, and social stability in the NIR.

Recent data show that the millgate price of sugar has plunged to around P2,200 per 50-kilogram bag, nearly P300 below the estimated production cost, the lawmakers noted in the statement released to reporters by Negros Occidental 5th District Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo.

“Industry leaders warn that if unchecked, such a price collapse could worsen poverty in rural sugar districts, where over 60 percent of households depend on sugarcane as either a principal or supplementary income,” the statement read.

The Negros representatives urged the SRA to issue a transparent and data-based explanation for the sudden price collapse, including the possible impact of recent importations, pest infestations, and changes in market demand.

Call for accountability

They also called on concerned agencies and industry players to act with urgency and accountability to cushion the blow of falling sugar prices and restore stability.

“Negros Occidental remains the country’s top sugar-producing province, accounting for nearly half of the total national output. The decline in prices could ripple through thousands of families dependent on the crop for income and employment,” they added.

The Negros Occidental lawmakers listed in the joint statement include Yulo, Julio Ledesma IV (first district), Alfredo Marañon III (second district), Javier Miguel Benitez (third district), Jeffrey Ferrer (fourth district), Mercedes Alvarez (sixth district) and Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who represents Bacolod City.

Meanwhile, the Negros Oriental representatives who endorsed the statement were Emmanuel Iway (first district), Isabel Sagarbarria (second district) and Janice Degamo (third district).

House Resolution No. 373 calls on the House, through the committees on agriculture and food, on trade and industry, and on labor and employment, to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the drop in sugar prices.

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