DA okay with smuggled sugar sold at Kadiwa stores

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Wednesday they would allow the recently seized smuggled sugar to be sold at Kadiwa stores, as proposed by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).

DA deputy spokesperson Rex Estoperez said the 4,000 metric tons of Thailand white refined sugar seized in Batangas need not a phytosanitary certificate, but an import permit only from the SRA before they be sold at the Kadiwa Rolling Stores run by DA.

“‘Yun po, in-inform na nila ang ating Pangulo na ‘yung nasabat dito sa Batangas, marami pa ‘yun hindi lang sa Batangas, na kung susulatan natin ang ating Department of Finance na under ang Bureau of Customs (BOC) na kung maari ito, ‘pag natapos ang protocol ay pwede na sa ating Kadiwa,” he said in an interview on GMA News’ Unang Balita.

(They have informed our President that the seized sugar in Batangas and in other areas, if we write to our Department of Finance which supervises the Bureau of Customs, be sold in the Kadiwa once the protocol is finished.)

“‘Pag natapos ang protocol na ‘yan, pwede na nating ipasok sa ating mga Kadiwa centers baka pwede nga ‘yan doon sa ating pamilihan,” he added.

(When that protocol is finished, we can sell the sugar in our Kadiwa centers, and maybe even in the markets.)

The BOC reported Sunday that it seized a marine vessel which was carrying 4,000 metric tons of Thailand white refined sugar at the Port of Batangas.

The confiscated sugar packed in 80,000 bags had an estimated value of P240 million.

The SRA said its Administrator, David Alba, would recommend to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who concurrently sits as DA secretary, to have these sugar sold through Kadiwa so the public “can enjoy refined sugar at a lower cost.” — Giselle Ombay/RSJ, GMA Integrated News