Philippines : NFSP seeks clarificationon 424,000 mt sugar importation
The National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP) expressed concern over the approved importation of 424,000 mt of refined sugar, set to arrive July–November 2025. NFSP president Enrique D. Rojas urged consultation and demand-based importation, warning that excessive supply could saturate the market and depress sugar prices, despite SRA statements.
The National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP) is seeking clarification on the importation of 424,000 metric tons of refined sugar, its president Enrique D. Rojas said on Thursday, Oct. 9.
“While SRA assures there will be no talks of importation until May or June 2026, SRA somehow failed to mention it has already approved the importation of 424,000 metric tons refined sugar to arrive starting July 15, 2025 and not later than November 30, 2025, under Sugar Order No. 8, Series of 2024-2025,” Rojas said in a press release.
Rojas was reacting to SRA’s statement that there will be no talks of sugar importation until May or June next year, and that statements on importation will likely affect sugar prices and destabilize the sugar industry.
He reiterated that NFSP has always stood for the welfare of sugar farmers, and that the Federation wants the best sugar prices for all sugar farmers.
Sugar prices are not affected by news articles but by actual sugar supply and demand numbers, primarily from SRA official reports, Rojas said.
“Under Sugar Order No. 8, the schedule of arrival of this 424,000 mt importation will be on July, August, September, October and November. In fact, 176,522.20 mt has already arrived, and 8,825 mt has already been withdrawn, as of September 14, 2025, based on SRA’s Sugar Supply & Demand Situation Report,” Rojas pointed out.
“With a projected combined ending balance of about 500,000 mt raw and refined sugar, plus the arrival on September, October and November of the almost 250,000 mt balance of the 424,000 mt importation under Sugar Order No. 8, we fear the market will be saturated with sugar,” he said.
Sugar farmers know how sugar prices are affected by too much sugar supply in the market, Rojas said.
“We asked SRA for a clarification on Sugar Order No. 8. During the July 7, 2025 consultative meeting, we agreed on the importation of only 150,000 mt, and we should be consulted first prior to any additional importation. We were surprised that Sugar Order No. 8, dated June 28, 2025 and released on the day immediately after the July 7 consultative meeting, allowed 424,000 mt importation,” Rojas said.
Rojas said that the mention of importation was prompted by his statement which was misinterpreted by a national newspaper, making it appear that NFSP supports importation solely due to damage to crops caused by the Red-Striped Soft Scale Insect infestation.
Thus, he was compelled to state that NFSP opposes importation at this stage of the milling season, he said.
“Any importation should be consultative, calibrated, based on actual demand and supply numbers, and limited only to the specific volume needed,” he said.*
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Source : Digicast Negros
