Philippines: La Niña weather phenomenon could boost local sugar production depending on its timing, says SRA
The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) in the Philippines has indicated that the La Niña phenomenon could boost local sugar production if it arrives as forecasted. La Niña, expected between September and November, might enhance sugarcane growth due to increased rainfall. However, constant rain could hinder sugarcane tillering. The SRA’s draft order estimates sugar output at 1.78 million metric tons for 2024-2025, a 7.4% decrease from 2023-2024, barring significant improvements from La Niña.
The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has indicated that the La Niña weather phenomenon could potentially enhance local sugar production, depending on its timing, reported Inquirer.Net
SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona noted that if La Niña occurs in the last quarter of this year as forecasted, it will coincide with the period when sugarcanes are growing. “It will increase the tonnage and hopefully, our sugarcanes will grow longer because it has enough water,” Azcona said. “With the rains coming, if La Niña comes, hopefully we can recover.” However, the SRA chief said sugarcanes might not tiller (or produce shoots from the base of a sugarcane plant) “if it’s raining constantly.”
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The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has projected that La Niña, characterized by above-normal rainfall, is likely to develop between this month and November and could persist into the first quarter of 2025. Pagasa’s monitoring suggests a 66 percent chance of La Niña forming between September and November.
According to the draft sugar order from the SRA, sugar output for the 2024-2025 crop year could reach 1.78 million metric tons (MT). If achieved, this would represent a 7.4 percent decrease from the 1.922 million MT produced in the 2023-2024 crop year. The SRA attributes this lower estimate to the expected negative impact of the prolonged El Niño phenomenon, unless La Niña leads to an increase in production.
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