“They must be alert and vigilant against sugar shipments without the necessary permits and other documents,” Lamata pointed out.
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday, October 17 seized 76 containers of refined sugar worth P228 million from Thailand after the consignee failed to present an import clearance from the SRA.
Customs Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz led BOC agents in inspecting the containers after the Customs Intelligence, and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) requested the issuance of an Alert Order on October 4.
Intelligence reports showed that the shipment, which arrived at the MICP on September 24, contained “mis-declared and undeclared” items.
Lamata said the modus operandi of the smugglers is that they would mingle their sugar shipments with those with legal permits or what he calls the “camouflage operation.”
“They are well versed in the schedules of the legal shipment, the volume of shipment and the names of legal importers,” he said.
The SRA has allowed the entry of 150,000 metric tons (MT) of imported sugar amid the shortage of sugar supply in the country.
Lamata, however, said that the volume of reported entry of smuggled sugar, which is 1,000 MT into the country, could not affect the price of raw sugar of the local producers.
Meanwhile, Lamata said that the farmgate prices of local sugar ranged from P60 to P65 as retail prices of the sweetener remained high at P95 to P110 per kilo.
He explained that sugar producers have no control on the cost of sugar in the wet markets once traders buy their produce.
“From P40 farmgate price, they increased the price to P60 to P65 per kilo, but they dictate the retail prices,” Lamata disclosed.
Currently, the local millers have already produced more than 200,000 metric tons of sugar.
“The stocks of local sugar are arriving in Manila (while) Victorias Milling is shipping the supply,” Lamata said.
He also said that the P70 per kilo of refined sugar is expected to be available at the Kadiwa Center next week.
“Three days ago, I saw thousands of one-kilo of refined sugar at the warehouse of SRA in Quezon City and are ready for distribution in the Kadiwa Centers,” the sugar leader added.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) said that the P70 per kilo of refined sugar will be sold at the Kadiwa outlets and SRA offices in Quezon City and Bacolod City.*