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200,000-MT sugar importation needed to sustain shortage
By J.Lo
"This El Niño is different... I have been engaged in farming for so long and this is the first time I have experienced this…when you go out, you cannot endure heat… I never experienced this…as early as 7 in the morning, I returned inside house because of heat," United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) president Manuel Lamata added producers' group underscored need to import 200,000 metric tons (MT) of sugar to prevent shortage in supply as it confirmed sugarcane plantations in Negros have been severely damaged by El Niño.
Lamata said local sugar production would be affected as many sugarcane farms would not be able to recover.
Former agriculture secretary Leonardo Montemayor has said damage caused by current El Niño episode to agriculture sector is underreported, adding that former Sugar Regulatory Administration chief Rafael Coscolluela had warned sugar production in Negros is expected to drop by 30 percent amid impact of drought on sugarcane plantations.
"Sugar plantations did not only dry up, even cows will not eat charred sugarcanes," Lamata said.
He added that local milling would be delayed as farmers need to plant sugarcane again.
"Once rains start coming in, we will plant again... what will happen vis-à-vis supply, local supply will be delayed…there will be gap… where imported sugar will come in. ..we need to import," Lamata said.
He added importation of 185,000 MT to 200,000 MT of sugar is necessary to prevent possible shortage in supply.
"We need to import to bridge gap. ..volume of 185,000 metric tons to 200,000 metric tons is just enough… should not be more than that so that once milling season starts, we can protect mill gate prices of farmers," Lamata added.
UNIFED head asked provincial government to procure its own airplane that can be used for cloud seeding operations.
"I am pushing for local government units especially provincial government as sugar producers are here in Negros, it should prepare for clouding seeding plane in province as income of province comes from agriculture," he said.
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