World · Philippines Bureau
Sugar growers, unions push for better farmgate prices in Negros
Sugarcane planters and labor organizations in Negros Occidental are demanding more substantial increases to farmgate sugar prices, arguing that current gains do not adequately offset mounting production expenses. The groups contend that small-scale growers remain financially vulnerable despite recent market improvements.
LSN Philippines ·
BACOLOD CITY — Agricultural stakeholders in Negros Occidental intensified calls Saturday for improved farmgate sugar prices, asserting that modest recent increases fail to address the economic pressures facing the province's sugarcane sector. Planters' associations and labor unions emphasized that production costs have risen significantly, straining the viability of small-scale farming operations across the region.
Recent bidding results from major sugar mills operating in Negros Occidental showed price movements in the growers' favor, with facilities including Hawaiian-Philippine Co. recording gains. However, representatives from both farming and labor communities contend these increases remain insufficient to restore profitability to sustainable levels.
The renewed advocacy highlights ongoing tensions between mill operators and sugarcane producers over equitable pricing mechanisms. Small-scale planters, who form a substantial portion of Negros Occidental's agricultural workforce, face particular pressure as input costs for fertilizers, equipment, and labor continue climbing.
Industry observers note that farmgate pricing structures have long been a contentious issue in the Philippines' sugar industry, with competing interests between millers seeking cost efficiency and growers demanding fair compensation for their harvests.