RP’s muscovado sugar well-liked in many foreign countries
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has taken steps to enhance the development of the country’s budding muscovado sugar industry.
Through its research agencies, DOST took the initiative in light of the interest of other countries in importing Philippine muscovado sugar.
Muscovado or brown sugar, regarded as a “health food,” is pure, unrefined, whole, and non-centrifugal cane sugar that retains all the natural minerals of sugarcane, explained DOST.
This sugar type has been identified in the 2005-2010 Philippine Export Development Plan as one of the priority export products owing to increasing demand for it by other countries.
In 2003, the
DOST noted that most of muscovado manufacturers have yet to pass the strict requirements of the international market.
Recently, several countries were reported to have expressed interest in importing organic muscovado sugar from the
The Los Baños-based DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) reported that these countries have expressed interest in procuring organically-produced muscovado from President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat, through the Muscovado Sugar Corp. (MSC) in that province.
The UAE and
Cornelio Castañeda, MSC manager and PCARRD magsasaka-siyentista (MS or farmer-scientist) of science and technology-based farming (STBF) on organic production of muscovado sugar in President Quirino, said that the supply of this sugar type is not even enough for the local market.
An MS is a successful farmer whose farm is a showcase of “best practices.” His/her technology and indigenous practices are shared with other farmers through demonstration, training and farmer-to-farmer services.
Organic production of sugarcane and processing of organic cane sugar are showcased in Castañeda’s STBF and production activities.
Echoing his town’s common concern, Castañeda appealed for sustained support from the government and other concerned entities for the production of export-quality muscovado sugar.
In response, DOST’s Farmers’ Information and Technology Services (FITS) or Techno Pinoy Center based in the President Quirino local government unit assisted in upgrading the muscovado producers’ processing facilities and provided other forms of technical support.
The STBF project on organic muscovado sugar is being implemented under the Techno Gabay, PCARRD’s banner technology transfer program, in coordination with the Cotabato Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (CARRDEC) based at the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) in Kabacan,
As a result, Castañeda reported, his corporation was able to improve its product and increase its market price from P17 per kilo to P35/kg.
“Our products labeled Bonus Pack or Farm Cottages muscovado sugar are now found in shelves of supermarkets in
Despite the higher price of muscovado sugar over that of ordinary sugar, consumers prefer the brown sugar owing to its healthful properties.
Two DOST agencies also had earlier spearheaded the development of a guidebook to improve the production of muscovado sugar.
The publication prepared by the Philippine Council for Industry and Energy Research and Development (PCIERD) and Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) presents the step-by-step methods to get the optimum benefits in the production of the commodity.
This includes the application two important safety practices –hazard critical control points (HACCP) and good manufacturing practices (GMP).
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