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Marcos says PH likely to import 150,000 MT of sugar in October as local supplies fall

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Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday said the Philippines might import 150,000 metric tons of sugar in October when local supply is expected to dwindle.“Maaari baka bandang Oktubre, yung supply na nandito sa Pilipinas ay paubos na baka sakali ay kailangan natin mag import,” Marcos said in a YouTube vlog.“Pero kakaunti lang hindi kasing dami ng kanilang sinasabi dati na 300,000 tons. Siguro ay malaki na yung 100,000 tons para sa buong taon,” said the President, who also heads the Department of Agriculture (DA).Marcos was referring to the issuance of Sugar Order No. 4, a resolution that was “illegally” signed earlier this week that claimed that the Philippines is ready to import some 300,000 metric tons of sugar despite the ongoing harvest season of sugarcane farmers in the country.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/11/22/resolution-to-import-300000-mt-of-sugar-illegal-palace">Resolution to import 300,000 MT of sugar &#x27;illegal&#x27;: Palace</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/12/22/probe-on-sugar-import-mess-may-cover-other-issues-palace">&#x27;Extensive&#x27; probe on sugar import mess may cover other DA issues: Palace</a></li></ul>Former DA Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian, who signed the resolution on behalf of Marcos without the President’s consent, has already resigned from his post.“Nakita ko naman na may sapat na supply na nandito na sa Pilipinas so sabi ko bakit hindi natin unahin yan dahil yan ay galing dito sa pilipinas at mayroon na tayong na-import noon na nakaimbentaryo ngayon,” the President said.“So bago tayo magimport ng panibagong asukal, dapat ubusin muna natin ang supply dito,” he said.While the new administration does not want to rely on foreign countries for food, the country cannot do away with importation while the government is still addressing productivity issues in the agriculture sector, Marcos said.“Ayaw na ayaw natin mag-import ngunit kung hindi sapat ang supply ng pagkain, mapipilitan talaga tayo mag-import dahil kung hindi tayo mag-import at mababa ang supply, magtataasan naman ang presyo,” he said.“Habang ang production natin ay inaayos pa natin, napipilitan tayo mag-import pero tiyakin naman natin na yung import ay hindi sobra-sobra sa pangangailangan,” he said.<div>IMPORTED FERTILIZERS</div>Aside from sugar, the government is also looking into buying imported fertilizer to temper the rising prices of urea in the country, Marcos said.“Kinakausap natin ang ating mga kaibigang bansa para sa government-to-government trading ng fertilizer ay mas nakakamura ang gobyerno,” he said.Marcos explained that the price of urea spiked due to its higher cost of production.“Naging malaking problema talaga ang presyo ng urea, presyo ng fertilizer dahil tumaas talaga ang presyo nga langis. Sumama na din diyan yung presyo ng natural gas,” he said.“Yung natural gas diyan nanggagaling yung amonia na nilalagay sa urea kaya nagtaasan talaga lahat ng presyo kaya naman naghahanap tayo nabg tinatawag na non-traditional,” he said.The Department of Trade and Industry is also holding dialogues with fertilizer traders to “control” the prices of urea in the Philippines, he said.The government is also planning to release “e-vouchers” to aid farmers in procuring fertilizers, he said.Corn growers are also expected to receive assistance from the government so that they can increase their production as the country plans to use corn as a substitute for feed wheat, the President said.Marcos said his administration is working to attain food security in the Philippines and to make the agriculture sector more attractive to younger generations.“Simple lang naman ang pangarap ko. Kailangan magkaroon ng kumikitang kabuhayan ang ating mga magsasaka nang sa gayon ay maengganyo ang mga susunod na henerasyon na ipagpatuloy ang industriyang ito,” he said.“Ang pangarap ko ay wala nang gutom na Pilipino at tiyak ko napangarap ng bawat isa sa atin iyan,” he said.“Patuloy ang pagpupursige na ibangon at ilaban ang industriyang ito hanggang sa makamtan natin ang mga pangarap na yan,” he said.The economy depends on healthy and strong workers, and the Philippines can only have that manpower if the public has access to affordable food, he said.<div>RELATED VIDEO</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2166378" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><div> </div>

(UPDATED) President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday said the Philippines might import 150,000 metric tons of sugar in October when local supply is expected to dwindle.

Marcos says PH likely to import 150,000 MT of sugar in October as local supplies fall

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Marcos says PH likely to import 150,000 MT of sugar in October as local supplies fall

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 14, 2022 09:09 PM PHT

|

Updated Aug 15, 2022 09:25 PM PHT

Read More:

Bongbong Marcos

Department of Agriculture

DA

sugar importation

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