Confederation of Sugar Producers president Reynaldo Bantug has urged producers to mull the possibility of the Philippines exporting sugar to the world market.

If world market prices remains in the medium term at 15 to 15 cents per pound, "we can export excess sugar to the world market at a profit," Bantug said following reports that the sugar closed at 16.12 cents per pound, a 15-year high.

Luis Tongoy, Negros-Panay chapter chair, said WTO mandates to cut the European sugar subsidies and let sugar prices seek its true level.

That, is "a moral victory to the unsubsidized Philippine sugar industry, he said."

Domestic sugar millgate prices continued its upswing Thursday registering, P1,130 to P1,205 per Lkg. for "B" or domestic sugar. "A" or US-bound sugar were priced above P1,070 per Lkg.

But while there was almost widespread rejoicing at the increased millgate prices, former Sugar Regulatory official Bobby Sabino pointed out that the increasing cost of inputs may just have made up for it.

Joebert Cuaycong, a Victorias District planter, also cited the increase in fuel prices and increased fertilizer cost as gobbling up whatever gains the producers may have realized from the increased millgate prices.

In short, as Bantug pointed out, what is needed now is for sugar producers to study how to improve production per unit and cut down production cost.

He urged the Philippine Sugar Research Institute to study how to improve production and, at the same time, lower the unit cost of sugar.

There is also imperative need to study whether the present sugarcane varieties are suited for ethanol production, Bantug said.

"We are now entering a new ball game where sugarcane is equated with energy and sugar may just be a possible by-product. This requires a revoution in our mindset. We must be able to visualize the possibility of also exporting our excess sugar to the world market," he added.*RLE

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