Philippine raw-sugar output has reached 516,165 metric tons (MT) as of December 17, 5.47 percent higher than the 489,407 MT recorded in the same period last year, according to data from the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).
The latest data on sugar production for crop year (CY) 2017-2018 showed that output in terms of 50-kilogram bags (LKg) have reached 10.323 million LKg, compared to last year’s 9.788 million LKg.
Of the total sugar output during the period, 81.72 percent, or 421,821 MT, was produced by Negros-based millers.
Under Sugar Order 1, the SRA projected that the country’s total sugar output in the current CY ending in August 31 would reach 2.38 million metric tons (MMT), 4.8 percent lower than the 2.5 MMT recorded in the previous CY.
Sought for comment, SRA Administrator Herminigildo Serafica said he could not yet say whether the local sugar sector is on track to reach the projected output for the current crop year.
“SRA is still collating the figures on crop estimate for Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao,” Serafica said via SMS.
The government-owned and -controlled corporation attached to the Department of Agriculture estimated local sugar demand at 2.17 MMT.
Refined sugar production during the period expanded by 30.94 percent to 169,435.60 MT, from 129,395.75 MT recorded during the week ending December 18, 2017.
Demand for refined sugar was pegged at 283,019.50 MT, 28.56 percent higher than last year’s 220,141.45 MT.
The volume of sugarcane milled during the week ending December 17 reached 6.099 MMT, nearly 7 percent higher than the 5.707 MMT recorded last year.
Milling recovery rate in the current CY was pegged at 1.74 LKg/MT, 1.14 percent lower than the previous year’s 1.76 LKg per MT.
Composite mill-site price of sugar rached P1,202.83 per LKg, 20.65 percent lower than the P1,515.86 per LKg recorded in the same period last year.