- The Philippine government steps up support for sugar producers facing pests, drought and rising costs.
- Artificial sweeteners now account for 18.4% of the market, contributing to weaker sugar demand.
- Industry groups are pushing for tighter sweetener rules and tax incentives for local cane sugar.
Domestic sugar producers have urged policymakers to adopt measures that would help safeguard both production and consumption as sector faces pressures on multiple fronts.
In particular, the sector is dealing with an infestation of red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI).
In response, the government has deployed financial assistance, chemical controls, drones and biological measures against the pest, particularly in the Visayas.
RSSI is an invasive sap-sucking pest that feeds on sugarcane and promotes the growth of black sooty mould.
By coating the leaves and blocking sunlight, the mould reduces photosynthesis, stunts plant growth and lowers both cane yields and sugar content.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. highlighted the ongoing cooperation between the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), which has produced new policies aimed at strengthening the sector.
“We need to support our local sugar industry with assistance, but also with the right policies and legislation that will allow our farmers and the industry to remain productive and competitive,” said Tiu Laurel.
SRA administrator and chief executive officer Pablo Luis Azcona said the government’s response was important to protecting employment and livelihoods in sugar-producing areas.
“We have to provide protection to an industry that provides jobs to thousands of Filipinos, particularly in sugar producing areas. It is because of this that the current SRA Board and DA Sec TiuLaurel has come out with a number of pioneering sugar industry protection and transparency policies.”
Artificial sweeteners add to industry pressures
Meanwhile, industry organisations are calling for policy changes to address declining sugar demand caused by the growing use of artificial sweeteners and alternative sweetening ingredients.
A unified industry manifesto was submitted to the DA and SRA urging tighter regulation of artificial sweeteners.
Tiu Laurel acknowledged the issue, describing sugar substitutes as an “extraneous force” influencing domestic sugar demand and said government agencies would examine potential policy responses.
Artificial sweeteners accounted for 18.4% of the market in the 2024-25 crop year, equivalent to 503,117 metric tonnes, while demand for refined sugar fell 13.89%, according to industry data.
The figures point to a shift away from conventional sugar consumption, with industry stakeholders arguing that the growing use of sweeteners is eroding demand for Philippine-produced sugar and threatening the sector’s long-term viability.
A recurring threat
As of July, RSSI had affected 93,898 hectares of the country’s 421,606 hectares planted to sugarcane during the current crop year.
Nearly all affected areas, or 92,295 hectares, were located in the Visayas, particularly on Negros Island and in Western Visayas, with more than 12,700 farmers impacted.
The DA said it had earmarked PHP35m for chemicals and drone operations, with an initial target of 25,000 hectares and the option to expand coverage to more than 45,000 hectares depending on the severity of the infestation.
Both the DA and SRA have acknowledged that the RSSI infestation was “likely to become a recurring threat”.
