SUGAR Regulatory Board Member David Andrew Sanson, a planters representative, has appealed to all sugar mills nationwide to increase trucking allowances for sugar farmers as fuel prices continue to rise due to the conflict in the Middle East.
In his letter to the mills, Sanson said he is seeking an increase in trucking allowance and other measures to augment government relief efforts in addressing the sudden and steep surge of fuel prices due to the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
In Negros Island, which produces more than 60 percent of the country’s sugar, he said diesel prices have breached P120 per liter in many areas, significantly increasing the cost of transporting sugarcanes from the farms to mills.
He added that it has placed a substantial financial burden to the sugar farmers and threatens the continuity of sugarcane supply.
Sanson is also hopeful that the mills, for humanitarian reasons, can increase trucking allowances for farmers to help offset fuel costs until such time that the fuel prices normalize.
“We are all trying to survive this crisis and I hope the sugar industry stakeholders will come together to help each other and to ensure the future of our beloved sugar industry,” Sanson said. (MAP)