The Department of Agriculture (DA) has announced on Wednesday that the Philippines will not import sugar until the middle of next year as part of efforts to support domestic prices, reports Manila Times
According to the DA, the decision was made following a meeting with officials from the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to address the low raw sugar prices offered during last week’s sugar bidding. Traders were reportedly hesitant to make purchases amid conflicting statements from farmer groups, prompting the government to assure that no imports will be allowed until the current milling season ends, projected between May and June 2026.
“There has never been any plan or discussion on importing sugar for the 2025–2026 crop year until significant milling is completed, production data is firm, and any potential imports are limited to reserve sugar,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr. and SRA Administrator Paul Azcona said in a joint statement released by the DA.
Officials also agreed to maintain a two-month buffer stock of refined sugar to ensure supply stability.
SRA board member and farmers’ representative Dave Sanson welcomed the decision, saying it would help steady market prices and reduce speculation. “This is a positive move, and we hope it will stabilize prices now that uncertainties have been addressed,” he said.
The DA noted that the country’s sugar industry has been expanding, with sugarcane cultivation areas increasing to 409,000 hectares this year from 380,000 hectares in 2022. Farmgate and retail prices have also remained stable, the department added, benefiting both producers and consumers while encouraging more farmers to grow sugarcane.
