NEGROS Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. cautions newly-appointed Sugar Regulatory Administrator Gina Bautista Martin about sugar importation.
The SRA announced recently it may bid out rights to import 100,000 tons of sugar on Friday at the earliest. The importation is allegedly being rushed because of the tight sugar supply in the country.
Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) outgoing administrator Bernard Trebol was quoted as saying the agency was rushing the publication of the notice of importation so it could undertake the tender on Friday.
It could take as much as 60 days to bring in sugar from Brazil, Trebol added.
But Marañon believes there is no sugar shortage in the country, adding that there could be sugar traders hoarding sugar stocks at their warehouses.
The National Food Authority, which will facilitate the tender, already announced the bidding notice will be published Wednesday. If time permits, the tender will be held on Friday, otherwise, on Monday.
The Department of Finance (DOF) has already approved the tax subsidy for the tariff-free importation of 100,000 tons of sugar.
SRA originally recommended 150,000 mt for tariff-free importation. The 100,000 mt is intended for end-users and retailers while the 50,000 mt was for industrial users and food processors.
However, the DOF approved only the tariff-free importation of the 100,000 mt intended for retailers and end-users.
The finance department ruled that industrial users and food processors can afford paying the tariff for the 50,000 mt importation intended for them.
The country's current crop year for sugarcane ends on August 31. Mills are set to start processing local sugar in September and October but the peak of the milling is from end-November to early December. (Teresa Ellera-Dulla)