THE Philippines will export 66,235 metric tons (MT) of sugar to the United States this April, according to Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona.
Azcona said the commodity is ready for shipment to meet the deadline.
Last year, the shipment almost failed to make it to the Sept. 30 deadline, arriving in the US on Sept. 27 — which caused discoloration and quality deterioration, and incurred a 10-percent penalty, Azcona noted.
This year, the shipment will be done during milling season to ensure freshness of the product, he added.
As for the current state of harvesting and milling in the Negros Island Region, Azcona said that while most sugar producers in the south are in the finishing stage, those in the north are encountering delays due to frequent rains.
Harvesting may last until May, Azcona said, adding that sugar production is 20 percent lower than in the same period last year due to El Niño. Likewise, the yield per ton of sugarcane is 11-12 percent lower.
However, Azcona said he hopes the numbers improve once harvesting in northern Negros Island is completed.
The Department of Agriculture and SRA promised sugarcane farmers there won't be a sugar importation order until May or June, said Azcona.
