US to import more raw sugar from PHL

The United States will be importing more raw sugar from the Philippines under the country's world sugar export program, said the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA). The additional order, Sugar Agency manager for planning Rosemarie Gumera said, is in addition to the annual tariff rate quota (TRQ) scheme that the US implements on preferred countries like the Philippines. “So far, US-bound raw sugar shipment outside the TRQ is about 18,427 MTRV (metric ton raw value)," she said over the weekend, adding that the US might source even more raw sugar after the effects of a hard freeze in the American state Florida, affecting the US’s raw sugar supply. Under the TRQ scheme, preferred countries export sugar to the US at low tariff rates. For the current crop year from 2010 to 2011, the US kept the raw sugar quota at 1.117 million (MTRV), the same amount allocated during the last crop year. The US, on average, consumes about 11 million tons of raw sugar a year. Out of the 1.117 million MTRV, the Philippines was allocated 224,549 MTRV, after the US asked for an increase in the additional raw sugar quota twice – 19,648 MTRV in July and 60,000 MTRV on April, on top of a previously approved 2,741 MTRV hike. The Philippines usually gets a sugar quota of roughly 142,160 MTRV yearly. Washington has already requested an advanced delivery of raw sugar imports under the TRQ scheme because of the ongoing raw sugar shortage in the US. Aside from the US, the Philippines also exports raw sugar to other countries including Japan, Indonesia, Korea and China. Gumera said that shipments to these countries are due for delivery within the week. The SRA said it intends to maintaining the sugar export program until next year as the agency expects excess production for the crop year 2011-2012. Estimates indicate that sugar output may hit 2.4 million MT, 1.8 percent higher than the 2.357 million MT output from 2010-2011. On average, the country requires only 2 million MT to 2.1 million MT of raw sugar yearly. — with Bea Cupin/LBG, GMA News