DA mulls P90/kg SRP on sugar as prices hit P100/kg

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is looking at imposing a suggested retail price (SRP) of P90 per kilogram for sugar, as several stores in Metro Manila have already hiked prices to as high as P100 per kilogram.

Latest monitoring of the DA show that prices of sugar in Metro Manila were at P95 per kilogram for refined; P75 per kilogram for washed; and P70 per kilogram for brown as of August 5, 2022.

A number of stores in markets such as San Andres Market, Pasay City Market, Mega Q Market, Marikina Public Market, and the Malabon Central Market, however, have already hiked prices to as high as P100 per kilogram as indicated in Bernadette Reyes' report on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend.”

According to Agriculture Undersecretary Kristine Evangelista, the country needs to import as much as 300,000 metric tons to fill in the deficiency brought about by Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai).

“Ito po ay dala nung tinamaan tayo ng bagyong Odette. Kahit last year pa tayo tinamaan, ‘yung harvest season ng sugar was affected. Napakababa po talaga nung supply ng ating asukal,” she said in an interview on Super Radyo DZBB aired on the same report.

[This is brought about by Typhoon Odette. Even if we were hit last year, the harvest season was affected. Our sugar supply is really low.]

Typhoon Odette hit the country in December 2021, leaving P13.8 billion worth of damage to the agriculture sector.

The DA is scheduled to meet with stakeholders this week regarding the SRP on the commodity, along with other agricultural products such as pork, and onion.— BM, GMA News