MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) eyes to regulate and monitor the importation of artificial sweeteners before the year ends.
In an ambush interview at the sidelines of the DA’s joint market inspection with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Makati City on Thursday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said they will release an order to ensure “accuracy” of data on import volumes coming in.
“Ang unang gagawin natin (The first thing that we will do) is we need to know, get real accurate data. We will come out with a directive or order that will regulate and monitor yung mga ganitong (these) artificial sweeteners. They have to get a permit in order to import or inform the SRA (Sugar Regulatory Administration) at least,” he said.
Tiu Laurel said the issuance of the order, which initially intended to impose a PHP10 regulatory fee per bag of artificial sweeteners, was delayed following requests of soft drinks and beverage manufacturers.
“So ngayon (Now), we’ve decided to lower that considerably para (so that) it would not be inflationary,” he said.
To date, the DA chief reported an increase in the imports of artificial sweeteners alongside the drop in sugarcane production due to the effects of the El Niño phenomenon.
“Bumaba na iyon ng (That dropped by) 20 percent. But then, bumaba din ang presyo ng asukal sa farmgate. Noong tinignan ko naman yung artificial sweeteners na importation sa fructose, sucrose, yung mga kaya yan, tumaas na almost 25 percent. So doon napunta (the farmgate prices of sugar also dropped. And when I look into the importation of artificial sweeteners like fructose, sucrose, it increased by almost 25 percent. So that’s where it went),” Tiu Laurel said.
Earlier, the SRA said the proposed order does not intend to “control” the importation of other sugars but to secure “accurate” data of actual import volumes coming in. (PNA)