SUGAR production breached the 2 million metric ton (MMT) mark weeks before the end of the milling season, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said, adding that sugar self-sufficiency could be a few years away.
As of June 8, output hit 2.015 MMT, the SRA said in a statement, putting the industry on track to smash the most recent projection of 1.840 MMT and actual output of 1.92 MMT in the previous crop year.
Raw sugar production last topped 2 MMT in the 2020-2021 crop year, when output hit 2.14 MMT.
“This steady increase in raw sugar production under this administration shows that there is potential (of matching demand of) 2.3 MMT, given the right conditions and sustained support for the industry,” it said.
The SRA attributed this year’s performance to the adjustment of the crop calendar to October from August, which it said was “better suited to climatic conditions and cane maturity.”
It also cited improving soil productivity, better cane varieties, improved coordination among sugar producers, and timely release of fertilizers and farm mechanization programs.
“That level of production indicates that retail prices will be stable,” the SRA said.
The industry is currently dealing with an infestation of red-striped soft scale insects, which could reduce sugar content by nearly 50%.
The infestation has affected 1,300 hectares as of June 18, up from 841 hectares on June 6, the SRA said. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza