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Government urged to allow direct sugar importation amid looming El Niño


MANILA, Philippines, April 25 ----- Industrial users should be permitted to directly import sugar for their production needs as the country braces for the effects of the looming El Niño on the agriculture sector, a lawmaker said.


Rep. Benny Abante (Manila, 6th District) has urged the government to ease measures and allow industrial users to directly import sugar, as the projected dry spell threatens sugar production and disrupts the supply chain. In his show "Kongreso Ngayon At Your Service" over DZME on Monday, Abante said the proposal allowing manufacturers or industrial users of sugar to directly import sugar for their needs should be heard, and that measures allowing this should be immediately implemented. He cited the possible loss of jobs in the manufacturing sector as a possible immediate negative effect should a sugar crisis happen during the El Niño period.


“Well okay lang sa akin yun, I think that should happen, lalong madaling panahon. Yung pangangailangan po ng taumbayan, yun ang kailangan nating makita, I don't know why they are not allowing that. What is the reason why they are not permitted to import directly?" Abante added


Abante also called on government to allow more importers to import sugar during the El Niño period to ensure that sugar supply remains stable and to remove unwanted competition between industrial users of and local consumers to the country’s sugar supply inventory. Under the current policy, the Philippines allows sugar imports of up to 440,000 metric tons through the minimum access volume (MAV) mechanism, which sets a lower tariff rate for these imports. However, due to the onset of El Niño and its potential impact on the local sugar industry, allowing industrial users to import sugar beyond the MAV limit will ensure stability in the country's sugar supply chain.


Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture is also currently studying proposals to allow industrial users of sugar to directly import to keep the supply chain stable and prevent spikes in pricing. In an interview over DZBB on Sunday, Agriculture deputy spokesperson Rex Estoperez confirmed that the government is looking at the proposals.


Source: philstar.com


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