Stop unleashing bigger tide of sugar imports, KMU tells gov’t; Halt sugar exports to US instead

Labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno criticized the government’s renewed announcement of importing 150,000 metric tons of sugar to supposedly address the sugar shortage, saying the move would “drown” local farmers’ and small retailers’ livelihood and would make the sugar crisis worse.

“Unleashing a bigger tide of tariff-free sugar imports will further rob local farmers of their livelihood after suffering the dire effects of El Niño. It will also further allow the world market to dictate local sugar prices,” KMU chairperson Elmer “Bong” Labog said.

“This move is another addition to the bitter legacy of the Arroyo government to the Filipinos,” he added.

Labog said the sugar shortage, which stands at around 210,000 metric tons, also highlights Arroyo’s failure to at least resuscitate the dying local agriculture, as well as her administration’s firm subscription to the unjust global sugar trade.

KMU noted that the country is still exporting tons of sugar to other countries despite the current problem in sugar production. Last month, the US even increased the country’s sugar export quota to 181,437 metric tons even as the local agriculture is severely affected by the dry spell.

“To alleviate the sugar crisis, the incoming Aquino administration should stop sugar exports to the US rather than pursue Arroyo’s plan of importing 150,000 metric tons of sugar,” Labog said.

“It is a challenge for Noynoy Aquino to free the country from the stranglehold of the unjust sugar trade dominated by the US, especially since he comes from the family of wealthy sugar barons,” he added.

Aquino’s family owns the 6,000-hectare Hacienda Luisita sugar estate in Tarlac, which has been exempted from land distribution for decades.