The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is seeking public comment on the planned export of raw sugar to the United States after a three-year absence.
SRA administrator Pablo Azcona told reporters Thursday that at least 20 exporters have expressed interest in filling the raw sugar to the US under the tariff-rate quota or TRF system..
“So far, we have 20 exporters who signified they are willing to” export raw sugar,” Azcon said.
This has reference to the country’s absence from the export of raw sugar to the United States the past three years and the logistics problems associated with the absence, such as where to load the commodity from and which port to use because the old ones are no longer capable of handling them, according to Azcona.
The last time Manila exported raw sugar was during the sugar crop year 2020 to 2021, he said.
Earlier, the US Trade Representative increased the allocation of raw cane sugar from the Philippines eligible to enter the United States at a lower duty rate under the World Trade Organization TRQ for fiscal year 2024.
The Philippines was given an additional 25,300 metric tons (MT) on top of an earlier allocation of 145,235 MT or a total 170,535 MT.
The USTR fiscal year 2024 started from 1 October 2023 through 30 September 2024.
The Philippines historically maintains sugar shipments to the US under a TRQ that allows it to export specified quantities at relatively low tariff. Exports of the same above a predetermined threshold are subject to a higher tariff.
Thus, the quota is important as the Philippines is among a select set of countries given an annual allocation of sugar exports to the US market at premium price.
“Our exporters do not want to lose our US quota because we need it to stabilize local prices,” Azcona said.
