SRA wants seized smuggled sugar sold at Kadiwa stores

The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is proposing to sell the recently seized smuggled sugar at the Kadiwa stores run by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

In a statement, the agency said SRA Administrator David Alba will recommend to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who concurrently sits as DA secretary, to allow the 80,000 bags of sugar seized at the Batangas port last week, to be sold to the public through the Kadiwa Rolling Stores.

On Friday, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized at the Port of Batangas a marine vessel which was carrying 4,000 metric tons of Thailand white refined sugar with a value of P240 million and packed in 80,000 bags. 

No notice of arrival was presented when the vessel arrived in the Philippine contiguous zone, according to the BOC. Likewise, there was no import permit for the sugar, it added.

The SRA said Alba will make representation to the President to have these sugar sold through Kadiwa so the public “can enjoy refined sugar at a lower cost.”

The SRA chief also warned traders who are in cahoots with smugglers that “the full force of the law will go after you,” adding that he has asked all government enforcement agencies to provide them with the necessary information so they can go after sugar smugglers, according to the agency. —Ted Cordero/KG, GMA Integrated News