Senate Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri on Tuesday called for more decisive government action to support sugar farmers, urging authorities to urgently address what he described as a “brewing sugar crisis.”
Zubiri said mill gate prices have fallen sharply, declining from P2,200 per 50-kilogram bag in October to P2,075 by the final week of December. He noted that current prices are well below the P2,400 to P2,500 per bag recorded during the 2024 milling season.
According to the senator, farmers need stronger support beyond the temporary suspension of sugar imports. He said government intervention could include capital assistance or a state-backed purchasing program to guarantee stable incomes for sugar farmers and workers, while ensuring fair prices for consumers. Zubiri stressed the need for firm and decisive action from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to stabilize mill gate prices.
Zubiri highlighted the financial strain on farmers, pointing out that losses of P300 to P500 per bag are severely affecting their livelihoods. He questioned how farmers could sustain their families, pay their workers, and prepare for the next planting season without earnings from the current year.
While thanking the DA for halting sugar imports for 2026, Zubiri said the impact of excessive sugar imports last year would make it difficult for farmers to recover quickly.
He also urged the government to fully utilize the Sugar Development Fund (SDF) under the Sugar Industry Development Act, noting that billions of pesos are allocated to the fund annually. Zubiri expressed hope that these resources are reaching farmers, especially during periods of heavy losses. He said the SRA should step in by providing improved infrastructure, access to credit, and stronger research and development support. Maximizing the fund’s use now, he added, could even justify increasing its allocation to assist more farmers.
Zubiri further warned against sugar smuggling and the illegal entry of sugar substitutes, cautioning that such activities could undermine efforts to revive the struggling sugar industry.
