Mindanao poised as last frontier for sugar industry growth

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BACOLOD CITY – Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona emphasized that Mindanao could be the last frontier for the sugar industry, given its vast areas available for sugarcane cultivation.

“If they can sustain their growth from last year, it will significantly contribute to our country’s sugar production,” Azcona stated in a press release on Wednesday.

Azcona echoed the sentiments of former Bukidnon Rep. Manuel Antonio Zubiri, who now leads six major sugar groups that recently formed a new sugar federation to have a “bigger voice” in the industry.

“We are the last frontier of the sugar industry and plan to expand sugar farms in Mindanao until we can bridge the gap in local sugar demand, ultimately leading to self-sufficiency,” Zubiri said.

Last year, Mindanao expanded its sugarcane plantations by about 4,000 hectares, which SRA Administrator Azcona credited for a 20 percent increase in production output, while other areas remained stagnant or experienced declines.

Mindanao currently has nearly 79,000 hectares dedicated to sugarcane, with 59,000 hectares located in Bukidnon alone, according to Zubiri.

Registering as the Mindanao Federation of Sugarcane Planters Inc., with Zubiri at its helm, the federation represents more than 50 percent of sugar producers in Mindanao, and additional affiliations from Lanao and Davao are expected to increase their numbers.

Mindanao sugar farmers currently contribute about 17 percent of the country’s total sugar production. However, with plans to expand, Zubiri believes they will contribute even more since Mindanao remains the only region where sugar plantations can still expand.

Negros Island currently accounts for over 60 percent of the country’s total sugar production, but Azcona noted that growth on the island is minimal, with only about 16,000 hectares available, mostly in mountainous areas.

Zubiri introduced the leaders of the six sugar associations who formed the Mindanao federation. These include Joselin Medalla of the Sugarcane Farmers of Bukidnon Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Antonio Pizarro of the United Sugar Farmers Cooperative and the United Sugarcane Planters of Bukidnon, Inc., and Manolito Garces of the Bukidnon Integrated Planters Association and the First Mindanao United Sugarcane Planters Association, Inc.

The groups were previously part of an existing sugar federation but decided to form their own in Mindanao to avoid politicking and focus on growing the industry, Zubiri explained.

He added that they appreciate Azcona’s promise of direct support to Mindanaoan farmers.

“We will strengthen SRA’s presence in Mindanao and explore the possibility of establishing an SRA satellite office in Bukidnon to bring our services closer to the farmers,” Azcona told the group during a side meeting at the Philsutech Convention in Cebu City last week.

Despite their representation through larger sugar federations, Azcona was surprised to learn from the farmers that they had been receiving minimal output from the industry’s research and development arm, with some farms still planting outdated sugar varieties.

“With this development, we will ensure that our Mindanao farmers are better equipped, and services are delivered promptly,” Azcona said.

He also announced plans to personally look into the possibility of establishing a Mindanao Research Center to manage high-yielding variety programs.