The Department of Agriculture (DA) has appreciated the approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to include sugar in the relief goods. Local Government Units (LGUs) are now allowed to add 2 kilograms of sugar in every relief pack.
DA Secretary William Dar has stated that adding sugar in relief packs is a way to lessen the impact of the Enhanced Community Quarantine on sugarcane farmers. The demand for sugar has dropped to 30 to 40 percent from the start of the ECQ.
However, farmers are positive that they will recover from the effect of the ECQ through the said action. Based on the data of the Sugar Regulatory Authority, there is enough supply of sugar in the Philippines.
Sec. Dar has also reminded entrepreneurs to obey the suggested retail price of sugar. Refined sugar is priced at PhP 50 while brown sugar is at PhP 45. DA Bantay Presyo Task Force will apprehend violators of the SRP.
