Philippines : Raw sugar production beats forecast, hits four-year high
The Philippines’ raw sugar production for crop year 2024-2025 rose to 1.95 million metric tons, the highest in four years, surpassing the projected 1.85 million MT. The increase is credited to government interventions like revised cropping calendars, better irrigation, and improved sugarcane varieties. Total sugarcane milled rose 12.7%, though average sugar recovery slightly declined.
MANILA, Philippines — The country’s raw sugar production rose to a four-year high to nearly two million metric tons (MT), beating industry expectations as farms overcame the ill effects of El Niño.
Latest Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) data showed that raw sugar output in current crop year 2024-2025 reached 1.95 million MT, up by 1.72 percent over the 1.92 million MT recorded in the previous crop year.
The latest production figure as of May 25 is the highest in four sugar crop years since the 2.14 million MT recorded in crop year 2020-2021, historical SRA data showed.
This is also the second straight crop year that raw sugar output hit at least 1.9 million MT after production fell below two million MT beginning crop year 2021-2022.
The latest raw sugar production figure exceeded the 1.85 million MT output projected by the government, industry stakeholders and even by internal observers.
The SRA initially expected raw sugar output to settle at around 1.78 million MT as a result of the ill effects of El Niño on sugarcane farms. Last month, the SRA revised its production forecast to 1.85 million MT.
SRA administrator and CEO Pablo Luis Azcona earlier said the higher than expected raw sugar output was a result of the government’s interventions on sugarcane farms nationwide.
One of which, Azcona pointed out, was changing the sugarcane cropping calendar to adapt to the worsening climate conditions.
Furthermore, the development and utilization of newer sugarcane varieties as well as improved soil health conditions and better irrigation systems helped farmers sustain their production, Azcona added.
“We attribute the (current) production (volume) to increase in sugarcane tonnage per hectare planted,” Azcona told The STAR.
The country has milled 24.21 million MT of sugarcane as of May 25, up by 12.7 percent than the 21.49 million MT recorded last year, based on SRA data.
SRA data also showed that total sugarcane areas inched up to 392,356 hectares from 388,378 hectares in the previous crop year.
The average sugar recovery in the current crop year fell by 9.44 percent year-on-year to 1.63 50-kilogram bags of sugar for every MT of sugarcane milled.
To Read more about Sugar Industry continue reading Agriinsite.com
Source : Philstar Global
