SRA hits 99.98% of target

MANILA, Philippines - The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has achieved 99.98 percent of its target production of 2.242 million metric tons (MT) of raw sugar for the current milling season.

Data from the SRA showed that as of the week ending July 1, raw sugar production is already at 2.242 million MT.

As of this month, two of the over 30 sugar mills in the country are still operating, making it possible for the SRA to even exceed its target for the milling season.

Sugar cropping in the country starts in September and ends in August.

In crop year 2010 to 2011, raw sugar output in the country was placed at 2.399 million MT, the highest in three years.

SRA earlier projected that sugar production for the current cropping year will reach 2.25 million MT.

The SRA initially had a higher estimate of 2.4 million MT for production of sugar for the current crop year.

The previous 2.4 million MT sugar crop production target for the current cropping year was revised to a lower 2.24 million MT after continuous rains in Visayas and Mindanao late last year affected sugarcane cultivation.

For cropping year 2012 to 2013, the SRA expects a marginal increase in sugar production because of incessant rains in sugar-producing regions.

The Philippine is a major sugar exporter in Asia.

Last April, the SRA announced that the country would export an additional 72,374 tons of raw sugar to the US, its biggest market. This is on top of the country’s regular sugar quota of 138,827 MT this year.