THE Vicmico Planters Association (VPA) has aired its complaint against Victorias Milling Company (VMC) over the alleged act of oppression against sugar farmers who simply want to mill their sugarcane in any mill of their choice.
In a statement issued Thursday, September 15, by the VPA officers and members of the Board headed by Aurelio Gerado "Bodie" Valderama Jr., the association condemned the mill for allegedly closing recently a major road going out to other mills.
This deprived the use of the road to the VPA members and other farmers who are not milling with VMC.
"In the guise of road repairs, VMC has closed the roads (for VPA members) leading to other mills while the mill continues to allow non-VPA members to use these roads," the association said.
In addition, the mill "refuses to accept the canes of our members, unless they mill individually, in effect encouraging and incentivizing sugar farmers to mill with VMC without affiliation to our association," it said.
"This imposes additional burden and trucking costs to our small farmer members, especially the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs)," it said, adding that "we condemn these oppressive acts of the mill, especially during this time of sugar supply shortage."
VPA said its members have asked them to bring the issue to the attention of Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Lacson, Third District Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez, the Sugar Regulatory Administration and Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban for resolution. (PR)