DAVAO CITY —– After the sugar importation issue anomaly broke off, the department of Agriculture through Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles announced that the Department of Agriculture (DA) is now preparing the proposal to import 150,000 metric tons (MT) this time half of the proposed 300,000 metric tons as earleir proposed.
The announcement of the Palace came after the three big softdrinks and soda companies in the country announced shortage in premium grade sugar, a major ingredient in bottling their products, resulting to shortage in their production which triggered the increase of prices in the market.
.During the virtual press briefing, Angeles stressed “Yes, kino-confirm natin yun, ang (we confirm the) proposed amount, 150,000 metric tons.
The goverment’s media arm, the Philippine News Agency quoted Angles ‘Yun po ang proposed na quantity for importation gawa nga ng pangangailangan ng mga industrials na tinatawag ng ating Pangulo. Sila po ang gumagamit in large commercial quantities ng asukal (That is the proposed quantity for importation due to the need of industrials. They are the ones who use sugar in large commercial quantities) and some jobs are dependent on their continued production,.”
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., on a Sunday vlog announced that the government is eyeing to import 150,000 MT of sugar–half the amount earlier proposed by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA)– if the country’s supply dwindles by October.