Contradicting the local projections, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has projected higher sugar output in the Philippines for the next crop year as the farmers are shifting to cane cultivation due to higher prices in addition to better fertilization, reports Zawya.
The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in its latest sugar report has stated that the raw sugar output in the country would reach 1.9 million metric tons (MT) in the succeeding crop year that starts in September.
“More farmers shifting to cane cultivation due to higher sugar prices and better fertilization would result in increased production,” said the report.
The expectations have come when the projection for the ongoing crushing season has been downgraded by 20,000 MT to 1.83- million MT than the expected 1.85 million MT.
The projections of FAS are in line with the adjustment done by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) at 1.831 million MT from the forecast of 1.876 million MT, as mentioned in Sugar Order 1 (SO1).
Sugarcane production was affected due to bad weather and low fertilization in the country, it said.
