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DA defends sugar importation order OK'd by Marcos

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Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News 

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A vendor arranges her stock of sugar at a store in Barangka St., in Mandaluyong City on August 29, 2022. Jonathan L. Cellona, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/12/27/20220829-salt-sugar-barangka-market-jc-4325.jpg"/><figcaption>A vendor arranges her stock of sugar at a store in Barangka St., in Mandaluyong City on August 29, 2022. Jonathan L. Cellona, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday defended the recent importation order for refined sugar approved by the President, saying it was meant to stabilize prices of sweeteners. </p><p>Agriculture Deputy Spokesperson Rex Estoperez said sugar prices have contributed 13 percent to the <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/12/06/22/inflation-accelerates-to-8-percent-in-november">record-8 percent </a>inflation in November, hence the need for the import directive.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/08/16/22/what-the-probe-into-the-sugar-import-mess-aims-to-achieve">What the probe into the sugar import mess aims to determine</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Kung titingnan natin mataas doon sa confectionaries at saka iyong sa sugar. So, iyong response doon is to import by accessing their minimum access volume,&quot; said Estoperez during a public briefing.</p><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=2394736" 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><p>&quot;Iyong sinasabi naman natin na MAV (Minimum Access Volume) na lumabas na iyon na 64,050 metric tons is a response pero hindi basta-bastang dumating iyan dito without considering iyong sinabi ko nga kanina,&quot; he added. </p><p>His statement came following the comment of former agriculture chief Leonardo Montemayor. The latter alleged that the impact of the decision was not fully discussed to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., who is currently handling the agriculture portfolio. </p><p>Montemayor was quoted in an interview with a broadsheet, saying &quot;forces&quot; supposedly at work for fast-tracking the sugar imports would &quot;dismay&quot; local producers.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/16/22/sra-administrator-resigns-following-sugar-import-mess">SRA administrator resigns following sugar import mess</a></li></ul><p>But Estoperez clarified that the minimum access volume&#x27;s tariffs are different from regular sugar imports, admitting that this may not immediately stabilize the price of the commodity. </p><p>What the DA wants is for local millers to help bring down prices of sugar by &quot;bringing their products in urban centers.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Ngayon, may sinasabi ang ating mga millers, ang ating planters na marami pa doon sa areas nila at magpi-peak iyong kanilang milling season this coming January. Ang sinasabi nga namin tumulong na lang para dalhin dito sa urban centers na mataas ang presyo ang asukal para nang sa ganoon ay tumulong sila para ibaba iyong ating presyo,&quot; said the official. </p><p>&quot;Kasi kung turuan lang tayo nang turuan mukhang mahirap yata iyon while iyong ating mga consumers, nagsasakripisyo ng mataas na presyo ng asukal.&quot;</p><p>Marcos earlier said he was looking into the <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/08/16/22/marcos-eyes-direct-importation-of-sugar-thru-industry-players">direct importation </a>of sugar through industry players to lower its prices. </p><p>Malacañang had described sugar importation as a &quot;balancing act&quot; that puts premium the welfare of consumers without killing the local industry.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></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=2394714" 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><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=2394716" 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>

This comes following the comment of former agriculture chief Leonardo Montemayor, who alleged that the impact of the decision was not fully discussed to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.

DA defends sugar importation order OK'd by Marcos

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DA defends sugar importation order OK'd by Marcos

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 27, 2022 05:27 PM PHT

Read More:

Leonardo Montemayor

sugar imports

minimum access volume

MAV sugar

President Marcos importation

sugar order

64000 metric tons sugar

memorandum order no 77

memo no. 77 2022

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