P70/kilo sugar 'unfair' to small supermarkets —PASA president

Small supermarket owners said Saturday that they cannot afford to lower the price of sugar to P70 per kilo, in response to government's appeal.

In an interview on Dobol B TV, Philippine Amalgamated Supermarket Association (PASA) president Steven Cua said that it is "unfair" to smaller supermarkets because driving the price down to P70 means a huge loss which they cannot afford.

"I find it rather unfair to ask us to lower our price when, in fact, how can you do business na palugi (losing business)," he said.

Big supermarkets can well afford the loss because they have clout with suppliers, and another thing, they can ask back from the government the favor they are doing.

"Of course, the big ones  may clout sila (they have clout) with the suppliers. And another, the government is asking a favor from them, utang na loob yan na later they can ask back... in terms of advance tax payments," he added.

Cua also said that actually, selling sugar at P70 per kilo means big loss that only the big supermarkets can afford.

He said, "Say for instance, a million kilos of white sugar is purchased from suppliers at P98 per kilo, and supermarkets sell that at P70, or P28 short. This would translate to a P28-M loss, which small supermarkets cannot afford."

We are appealing to the government to speak with the sugar traders to give smaller supermarkets  the washed sugar at P68 per kilo.

"Kahit P2  lang ang patong namin, which is not our regular price," Cua said. —LBG, GMA News