The Department of Agriculture (DA) has approved a plan by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to export 100,000 metric tons of raw sugar to the United States, aiming to reduce excess local supply and support falling prices.
The DA said domestic raw sugar output rose by 130,000 metric tons in the current crop year, pushing total production to 2.09 million metric tons—an 8.8 percent increase from last year and the highest level since the 2020–2021 season. Despite an extended ban on sugar imports until December, local prices have continued to decline.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the export move will help absorb excess supply and ease price pressure on farmers. The sugar will be shipped under the US quota system, which offers higher prices than the global market.
The Philippines’ original US sugar quota was about 143,000 metric tons but was reduced to 100,000 metric tons due to delays in confirming participation. SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said the higher export volume reflects rising production and is a needed short-term measure to balance supply and demand. He noted that exports have increased over the past three years from 33,000 to 66,000 and now to 100,000 metric tons, helping improve farmgate prices.
The DA and SRA said the export plan is a temporary solution and that longer-term measures may be needed, including managing the inflow of artificial sweeteners and boosting domestic demand. Officials warned that imports of sugar substitutes have surged to volumes equivalent to more than 500,000 metric tons of raw sugar, weakening demand for locally produced sugar.
Tiu Laurel said the DA will closely monitor sweetener imports and may regulate chemical sweeteners if they continue to disrupt the market. He also plans to ask the Department of Health to review possible health risks linked to widespread use of non-sugar sweeteners.
As of January 11, retail sugar prices in Metro Manila remained at P79.73 per kilogram for refined sugar, P73.73 for washed sugar, and P72.73 for brown sugar. At the millsite level, the composite sugar price stood at P2,174.58 per 50-kilo bag as of December 21, slightly higher than the previous week.
