Press Release
August 10, 2009

Zubiri: US sugar craving despite downturn, good for RP sugar industry

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri today urged the Philippine sugar farmers and millers to take advantage of the increasing demand for sugar in the United States as a move to revitalize the country's sugar industry.

"American craving for our sugar is good for our sugar industry," the Majority Leader said following reports that the food lobby group in the US is appealing to the Obama administration to lift its import quota on the Philippines.

"Being the second largest sugar exporter in Southeast Asia next to Thailand, we should take advantage of this sweet opportunity."

"If the sugar industry could export more sugar once the import quota is lifted, consumers, approximately 556,000 farmers, 25,000 sugar mill workers and about 5 million people directly or indirectly dependent on the industry will benefit."

The Philippine Sugar Millers Association (PSMA) announced that as of March this year the country shipped a total of 137,363 metric tons of sugar to the US under the tariff rate quota program.

The Tariff Rate Quota program is enforced on all imported raw and refined sugar thus limiting the purchase of sugar to most countries.

"If the projected Philippine sugar output of 2.05 million metric tons could be met as expressed by the PSMA, it will be a big lift to our sugar industry."

The senator likewise attributed the country's buoyant sugar industry to the increasing demand for domestic sugar use in the food, beverages and processed food industries and general public table consumption.

The available supply from India however fell below 22.5 million tons due to weather problem and high fertilizer prices, Zubiri added.

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