Sugar production grows 3% in 2017

MANILA, Philippines - Local raw sugar production reached 620,553 metric tons last year, up 3.4 percent from 2016.

Sugar crop year starts every September and ends in August.

Based on data on sugar production for crop year 2017-2018, output in terms of 50-kilogram bags stood at 12.4 million, slightly higher than the 12 million recorded the previous year.

Raw-sugar demand increased by 28 percent to 683,746 MT.

The total sugarcanes milled also went up five percent to 7.3 million MT.

More mills have also started milling as of Dec. 31, reaching 23 across Negros, Panay, Eastern Visayas and Mindanao.

More than 85 percent came from the Negros region particularly Victorias.

In terms of refined sugar, production grew 25 percent to 212,591 MT.

Sugar prices in the mill gate level declined by 17 percent to P1,248 per 50-kg bag.

Wholesale and retail prices for raw, washed, and refined sugar also saw lower prices.