Philippines starts filling up sugar quota for US

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has started the process of filling up the sugar quota for the US market following the issuance of order for the validation of quedan that will be eligible for the program.

Based on the latest sugar order issued, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has advised traders and exporters to apply with the agency for export allocations and quedan permits for verification and processing.

The US has allocated for the Philippines an initial quota of 142,160 metric tons for the current crop year, which started in September and will end in August 2020.

The Philippines is one of the select countries given an annual allocation of sugar export to the US market at a premium.

The US quota allocation will be allocated among the sugar exporters and traders on a “first come-first served” basis.

According to the SRA, there is a need to ensure that the full quota is shipped to the US after the verification of “A” quedans has been completed.

Likewise, all sugar shipments to the US will be made on a “first-in, first-out” basis.

In the event the exporter shall have sold his verified “A” quedan-permits to another party, the allocation of the said exporter is deemed cancelled, in which case, the “A” quedan-permits shall be again subject to verification by the SRA for allocation on a “first come-first served” basis.

SRA classifies sugar into “A” for sugar for export to the US, “B” for domestic consumption, “C” for reserves, “D” for export to countries other than the US and “E” for food local processors.

The Philippines has allocated 95 percent of the total sugar production for the domestic market while the remaining five percent will go to the US market.

The country expects to produce 2.096 million MT of sugar for the crop year,  up 23,000 MT from last year’s actual production.