DA: P85 per kilo SRP seen as sugar imports arrive, local millers start

Industry sources expect the suggested retail price of sugar to hit P85 per kilo as imports under Sugar Order No. 2 start to arrive.

According Bernadette Reyes' report on "24 Oras", sugar production by local millers have also started.

The remaining imported sugar is expected to arrive before November 15.

“Landed cost po ang ating tinitignan. At the same time alam din po natin na ang ating mga millers po ay nagumpisa na. Meron na rin po tayong local sugar,” DA Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista said.

(We are looking at landed cost. At the same time we also know that our millers have started processing their sugar. We also have local sugar.)

“So, we have to look into the supply both yung inangkat at yung local and to come up with the price na hindi rin po malulugi yung ating local and at the same time yung ating consumers po kaya na nila magiging affordable po ang asukal,” she added.

(So we have to look into the supply, both the imported and the local, and come up with a price so that our local producers will not lose money and consumers will be able to afford it.)

Industry sources said the P85 per kilo price was possible because local sugar production was currently at P65, which is higher than the previous year due to high cost of farming.

“Most likely within the week, we will be able to have the exact price that is equitable not only doon sa ating mga importers na tumutulong din po pababain ang presyo but also doon sa ating mga consumers,” Evangelista said.

(Most likely within the week, we will be able to have the exact price that is equitable not only to our importers, who are also helping to lower the price, but also to our consumers.)

Meanwhile, the price of white sugar at the Muñoz Market in Quezon City was at P110 per kilo.

“Halos ano na lang po, kalahati, 1/4 ang binibili nila. Sobrang taas nga po (They buy half a kilo, 1/4 kilo. The prices are very high),” said sugar retailer Shiela Marie Samarita.

Based on price monitoring, the supermarket price of sugar reached almost P102 to P134 per kilo. The commodity was at P100 to P106 in wet markets.

“Meron pong mga supermarket na nagbebenta pa rin ng P70 at yung sa palengke po alam nating nahirapan ang ating retailers kasi wala silang access doon sa mas mura,” Evangelista said.

(There are supermarkets that still sell at P70. And those in the market, we know that our retailers have a hard time because they don't have access to cheaper sugar.)

However, household consumers, bakeries and other dessert shop owners hoped that the price of sugar would decrease further ahead of the Holiday season.

“Sana pagdating ng ka-Paskuhan bumaba ang presyo ng asukal para mabigyan din sila na gumaan sa bulsa nila pagbumili sila,” a dessert shop owner said.

(I hope that when the holiday season comes, the price of sugar will drop so that the consumers will also be able to buy affordable products.) — Richa Noriega/DVM, GMA News