THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is mulling to import around 200,000 metric tons (MT) of refined sugar later this year to fill an anticipated supply gap and ensure stability of the commodity’s prices.
“Well, magkakaroon tayo ng importation sa sugar, if you want to know. Dapat by September, may arrival tayo, at least 200,000 (metric) tons, refined, for the gap before harvest and refining,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. told reporters in a dinner chat.
The Agriculture chief said the DA and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) are scheduled to have a meeting to formalize the planned importation next month.
“We’ve been talking about it for six months,” Tiu Laurel said.
“That’s the deficit as we foresee the current stocks will go down by August, September so we’d have a gap sugar of 200,000 [metric] tons at least by September, October,“ he said.
In December last year, the Agriculture chief said he is eyeing to limit the importation of sugar to 200,000 metric tons (MT) this year.
metrosundaily
