The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) on Tuesday warned this week’s eruption of Mt. Kanlaon could ruin further the country’s already struggling sugar production seen falling by more than 7 percent this year. SRA Administrator Pablo Azcona said initial reports indicate significant ashfall in La Carlota, Negros Occidental, home to one of the country’s largest sugar mills and the Asociacion de Agricultores de La Carlota y Pontevedra Inc., which contributes nearly 10 percent of the national sugar output.
Azcona said the volcanic ash’s acidity damages sugarcane crops by burning the leaves, causing the plants to mature quickly and turn their sugar into vinegar. While the eruption’s immediate effects could lead to reduced yield, Azcona expressed hope that rainfall, similar to the recovery after a previous eruption in June, would wash away the ash and reduce its harmful effects. In some cases, volcanic ash can enrich the soil with nutrients like potassium and phosphorus, improving long-term crop yields.
The eruption comes at a time when the sugar industry is already grappling with a decline in production, made worse by weather patterns linked to El Niño and La Niña. The SRA has revised its production forecast to 1.78 million metric tons for the current crop year, down from 1.92 million last year.
Meanwhile, lawmakers, including Rep. Dino Yulo of Negros Occidental, are calling for an investigation into the sharp drop in sugar mill prices. In October, mill prices fell below production costs, and by November, the price per 50 kg bag of sugar had dropped to P2,470, threatening the livelihoods of small-scale sugar farmers. Yulo emphasized the severe impact this price decline has on local farmers, urging the government to address the issue to prevent further economic harm.
SRA echoed concerns, warning that without intervention, farmers might shift to other crops, leading to a collapse of the sugar industry. “If we don’t have sugarcane left, the whole industry will dwindle and disappear,” Azcona said, stressing the importance of local production over dependency on imports.
Retail sugar in the National Capital Region ranges from P74 to P90 per kg for refined sugar, with washed and brown sugar selling at slightly lower prices.
