Philippines delays sugar importation until Mid-2025 as planters boosts production

DAVAO CITY – With a stable domestic supply of raw and refined sugar, the Philippine government announced it will postpone sugar imports until mid-2025, underscoring the growing self-sufficiency of local sugar production, particularly in Mindanao. Key officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) confirmed the decision on Sunday, pointing to steady yields from sugar-producing regions that meet national demands.

“Given the current situation, SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona and I agreed to delay any decision on importing sugar until after May, when the harvest season concludes,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. in a media statement. Tiu Laurel emphasized that domestic supplies are “stable and sufficient” for projected needs, alleviating the need for immediate importation.

Mindanao plays a critical role in this production landscape. The southern island has three major processing plants capable of supporting not only Mindanao’s sugar demand but also extending supply to other parts of the country. However, local farmers face persistent challenges due to the government’s historical preference for imports, which has often driven down the market prices of locally produced sugar, diminishing returns for Mindanao’s producers.

Azcona, who hails from Negros Occidental, the Philippines’ leading sugar-producing province, highlighted production setbacks this year due to weather disruptions. The ongoing El Niño phenomenon, which led to prolonged dry spells, has affected cane maturity, resulting in a 16% decrease in sugar content per ton of cane despite a slight increase in the area planted, from 388,378 to 389,461 hectares.

The DA and SRA arrived at the decision during a meeting at the DA’s central office on Nov. 7, where they reviewed current output data and assessed the impact of delayed harvests. “Our supply for both raw and refined sugar is stable, and we’re at the start of our harvest season. Secretary Tiu Laurel and I agreed that we won’t import until after the harvest ends around May or June,” Azcona stated.

According to SRA data, sugar production for the 2024-2025 crop year is estimated at 1.782 million metric tons, a decrease of 7.2% from the previous year as detailed in Sugar Order No. 1. As the season progresses, stakeholders are closely monitoring Mindanao’s output, hoping to leverage the island’s growing production capacity to stabilize the market and reduce dependency on foreign imports.