Sugar council urges SRA to start milling in August
SUGAR producers are urging the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to reconsider starting the milling season this coming August instead of September, saying that delaying the harvest would compromise sugarcane purity and tonnage.
The Sugar Council, representing thousands of sugarcane farmers from three planter federations, including the Confederation of Sugar Producers’ Associations Inc. (Confed), National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP), and Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers (Panayfed) appealed to SRA to proceed with the previous practice of commencing milling operations in August.
“Farmers fear that any delay in milling will lower the weight and sugar yield of the canes, resulting to lower sugar production and lesser returns for the farmers,” the council said.
“A year ago, in June 2022, the national government urged us to start milling early. Many sugar farmers supported the call, milling 432,356 tons as reported by SRA. Consequently, the ratoon plants, estimated at 400,000 tons, are now mature, and delaying their harvest to September will cause them to become overripe, compromising purity and tonnage,” it added, noting that hectares of standing canes are due for harvest in August.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved changing the start of the milling season from August to September this year.
According to the Sugar Council, sugar farmers fear that any delay in milling will lower the weight and sugar yield of the canes, resulting in lower sugar production and lesser returns for them.
The council added that five Negros mills started operating in August last year in response to the national government’s call to mill the canes early because of the acute sugar shortage.
“Now, the producers are looking forward to the start of milling this August, because the canes they planted after their early harvest last year are already ripe for milling,” it said.
The council also noted that some sugar farmers have had no income from their farms since April this year, as several sugar mills stopped operations during that month, instead of May to June traditionally.
“Sugar farmers have already contracted cane cutters, and delaying milling to September will force them to financially support the workers or risk losing them,” the council said.
It also emphasized that if the milling starts on Sept. 1, 2023, it will create an overwhelming demand for farm workers, who are already in short supply. Workers for hauling and trucking services will also be needed once milling starts.
“Farmers are apprehensive that this unprecedented demand for farm labor and hauling services will give rise to an unhealthy competition, thereby driving up their production costs,” it added.
The council expressed their appeal through a letter addressed to SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona and signed by Confed President Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama Jr., NFSP President Enrique D. Rojas and Panayfed President Danilo Abelita.
