The government will limit sugar imports to volumes needed to cover temporary supply gaps as it seeks to stabilize prices without undermining domestic producers.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said on Friday that importation would remain a market intervention rather than a standing policy, with future shipments calibrated to actual domestic requirements.

“Sugar importation is not the policy of this administration. It is a tool for price and market stabilization to be used when necessary and under clearly defined circumstances,” Tiu Laurel said.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is refining the rules for future sugar imports and plans to present the policy to industry stakeholders for consultation.

“In future imports, we will just import just enough for what the country needs. Not more, not less,” Tiu Laurel said.

Under the current allocation policy, import allocations are earned through purchases of locally produced sugar, a mechanism intended to support domestic producers while addressing supply requirements.

“Our fundamental policy remains clear. We want a Philippine sugar industry that is stronger, more productive, more competitive, and more self-reliant,” Tiu Laurel said.

The industry continues to face high production and input costs, labor shortages, limited access to technology and financing, climate risks, and the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI).

To address the pest threat, the DA and Sugar Regulatory Administration will lead a National RSSI Task Force involving other government agencies, farmer groups, millers, refiners, distillers and workers.

“This will unify and consolidate all RSSI-related efforts,” Tiu Laurel said.

The DA has allocated P300 million for 2027 to develop laboratories or incubation centers capable of producing biological agents in sugar-producing municipalities in anticipation of a possible resurgence of the pest.

Tiu Laurel also called for greater mechanization, climate-smart farming and technology adoption to address labor constraints and improve productivity.

“When we see a labor shortage, let us see an opportunity for mechanization. When we see climate risks, let us see an opportunity for climate-smart agriculture. When we see low productivity, let us see an opportunity for science, technology, and yes, a little more innovation than we have had in the past,” he said.

He stressed that technology investments should translate into higher productivity, lower costs, and better incomes for farmers.