Sugar prices climb on lower production, higher delivery charges

Prices of sugar have increased in Metro Manila, following the impact of weather conditions on production, along with the higher delivery charges given the increase in petroleum prices.

At the Marikina Public Market, prices have gone up by P5 per kilogram — to P80 from P75 for white sugar, P70 from P65 for washed sugar, and P65 from P60 for brown sugar.

The latest data from the Department of Agriculture (DA) shows that the average retail price of refined sugar stood at P70, washed sugar at P60, and brown sugar at P60 as of Friday, June 17, 2022.

According to Bernadette Reyes' report on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said it was monitoring the situation, and attributed the production decline to weather conditions.

The agency cited the impact of Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) in the Negros region, bringing down production during the March to May months.

The DA estimated the total damage brought about by Odette to the agriculture sector to be over P10 billion, covering several areas in the Visayas and Mindanao.

It said production declined as the milling season neared its end, falling to 1.8 million metric tons.

Meanwhile, retailers said the higher prices are due to higher delivery charges given the successive increases in pump prices of petroleum products.

The latest data from the Department of Energy (DOE) indicated a net year-to-date increase of P28.70 per liter for gasoline, P41.15 per liter for diesel, and P37.95 per liter for kerosene. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA News