BACOLOD City – The United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) lashed out at the Sugar Council after the latter claimed that there was a proposal to import additional sugar to address low millgate prices.
In a statement, the UNIFED said they cannot wait and indulge in the caprices of opposing sugar groups who seem bent on dividing the sugar industry at the expense of sugar farmers, who are waiting for the full implementation of the government intervention.
UNIFED president Manuel Lamata responded to the recent statement issued by the Sugar Council in their opposition to a second program where traders will purchase local sugar and be put on reserve, stating that there is no importation, contrary to claims made by the group.
“This is in addition to the initial P5 billion buy-back local sugar scheme from the national government,” Lamata pointed out.
Lamata further stated that they, along with the Asociacion de Agricultores de la Carlota y Pontevedra Inc. (AALCPI) and LuzonFed, are in full support of the government intervention discussed with the Department of Agriculture Sec. Francisco Tiu Laurel and Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) head Pablo Luis Azcona.
“I am stumped as to why these other federations do not want sugar prices to go up. What gives? Have they become traders, or are they working for traders? They are trying to come up with delaying tactics that will result in a longer waiting game for our already suffering sugar farmers,” Lamata said.
Lamata was referring to the Sugar Council composed of CONFED, NFSP, and PanayFed that “shunned” the meeting called for by SRA last January 25 in Bacolod.
“If they were interested in the government programs for the benefit of the farmers, they could have clarified the invitation, but they didn’t. They even refused to send letters asking the President to increase the PITC budget for buying local sugar from 5B to 12B, which was previously discussed and formally agreed upon in front of Sec. Laurel and Admin Azcona last month,”
Lamata was referring to the letter of CONFED president Aurelio Valderrama to SRA stating that the submission of a request to increase the government intervention budget from P5B to P12B is moot and academic.
“After all, it was CONFED that authored the P12B proposal presented by the Sugar Council to Sec. Laurel on January 9,” Lamata said.
In separate statements, AALCPI president Roberto Cuenca, LuzonFed’s Board led by President Cornelio Toreja, and sugar planter Mike Hinojales endorsed the proposed draft of a sugar order discussed during the SRA meeting with their requests for the SRA to allocate between 20 and 30 percent of quedans issued before the effectivity of the program.
The proposal covers the limited volume purchase of locally produced sugar for reclassification to reserve sugar to avail of allocation for the next import program, the intention of which is to uplift farmgate prices to a better and more stable level while ensuring optimal retail prices.
Earlier this week, the Sugar Council expressed concern over a proposal allowing traders to import additional sugar.
The council’s objection stemmed from an understanding among sugarcane farmers that over-importation causes low millgate prices. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
