BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture and Food are planning to visit Negros Occidental to check the situation of sugar farmers there as well as to discuss several issues hounding the industry.
Negros Occidental 6th District’s Rep. Mercedes Alvarez said they still do not have an exact date for the visit, although she affirmed that the visit would be led by Quezon 1st District’s Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga, chairperson of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food.
The congresswoman said she supports the call of several sugar industry groups and leaders to conduct an investigation on sugar smuggling as well as to hear their sentiments over the industry’s current situation.
Previously, the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters, Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations, Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers, and Philippine Sugar Millers Association urged the House of Representatives and the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to conduct a full-blown investigation on sugar smuggling.
The groups also earlier called to lower the importation of sugar, although the Sugar Regulatory Administration would later release Sugar Order No. 6 which allowed the importation of 440,000 metric tons of sugar.
Earlier this week, Negros Occidental’s Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson expressed concern over the further drop in sugar prices that will badly affect small farmers.
“I hope the volume and timing of importing sugar will not lead to a considerable drop in sugar prices,” Lacson said./PN
