Panayam kay Administrator Pablo Azcona ng Sugar Regulatory Administration ukol sa ....

PTVPhilippines

Panayam kay Administrator Pablo Azcona ng Sugar Regulatory Administration ukol sa misdeclared sugar import mula sa Vietnam, pag-export ng asukal sa Amerika, at iba pang usapin sa sugar industry sa bansa  For more news, visit:  ►https://www.ptvnews.ph/  Subscribe to our DailyMotion Channel: ►http://www.dailymotion.com/peoples-television-incorporated  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: ►http://www.youtube.com/ptvphilippines  Like our Facebook pages: ►PTV: http://facebook.com/PTVph  ►Rise and Shine Pilipinas: https://www.facebook.com/riseandshinepilipinas  Follow us on Twitter:  ►http://twitter.com/PTVph  Follow us on Instagram: ►https://www.instagram.com/ptvph  Watch our livestream on:  ►http://ptvnews.ph/livestream/ ►https://www.dailymotion.com/PTVPhilippines  Watch our News Programs, every Mondays to Fridays  Rise and Shine Pilipinas - 6:00 - 7:00 am | 7:30 - 8:00 am Balitang Pambansa - 7:00 - 7:30 am | 12:00 - 12:30 pm | 6:00 - 6:30pm | 9:30 - 10:00 pm PTV Sports - 8:00 - 9:00 am Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon - 12:30 - 1:00 pm Sentro Balita - 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Ulat Bayan - 6:30 pm - 7:00 pm PTV News Tonight -  10:00 pm - 10:30 pm  Saturday & Sunday: ►Sentro Balita Weekend - 1:30 - 2:00 pm ►Ulat Bayan Weekend - 6:15 pm - 7:00 pm

Transcript

00:00Misdeclared sugar imports from Vietnam, the export of sugar to America, and other issues in the sugar industry in the country.

00:08We will discuss this with the Administrator of the Sugar Regulatory Administration, Pablo Luis Azgona.

00:14Sir, good afternoon.

00:18Good afternoon, Ma'am Gwen.

00:20Sir, how is the supply of sugar in the country? Can it still reach the current price?

00:25Yes, Ma'am. The supply of raw sugar or brown sugar and refined sugar or white sugar is enough for now and it is still harvest season.

00:39So, in terms of price, the price for our farmers has increased and it is more or less the same as last year at the same time.

00:52However, our retail of raw sugar or brown sugar fell by 11%, it is currently at P73.

01:03The washed sugar fell by 12%, it is at P76.

01:10And our refined sugar fell by 1%, it is at P86.

01:15So, since Secretary Chiu Laurel came in until now, we have maintained the price of refined sugar, it is at P85 to P88.

01:29So, it has been almost 2 years, Ma'am.

01:32Sir, when was the SRA, the Surrey of the 14 container vans of misdeclared sugar imports from Vietnam, approved by the Department of Agriculture?

01:42What is the update on this?

01:45Okay. We sent our people from SRA through the request of the VOC and the Department of Agriculture.

01:54We got samples and our lab checked them.

01:59And we forwarded the results to the VOC.

02:04The results here, the ones they sent contained 85 to 88% sucrose or sugar and 12% glucose.

02:16Sir, how were the last illegal sugar imports processed here in the Philippines?

02:22Okay. So far, Ma'am, since we entered the office, the confiscated sugar, the misdeclared or the alleged smuggled,

02:35it is confiscated by the Bureau of Customs.

02:39And the others here, the units in the DA, the others here are auctioned by the Bureau of Customs.

02:50Sir, what is the classification of sugar and how does it matter in terms of tariffs?

03:00Okay. The declaration that was caught in Subic, it was declared as glucose.

03:08So, the glucose, this is what we issued by the SO6 that was able to hold the implementation.

03:17The glucose is considered under Tariff Code 1702.

03:22The tariff of this, if I remember right, is 1%.

03:26And if it is classified as sugar, it will enter 1701.

03:31The tariff of this is 5%.

03:34And 1701 is regulated.

03:37If our government does not have an importation program, it is not allowed to import 1701 or sugar.

03:45Sir, what is the importance of maintaining the precise tariff classification

03:50and how big of a help is this to the security and integrity of the domestic sugar market?

03:56Okay. This is a big help, Ma'am.

03:59We questioned our effort to request that the importers of 1702 should get an import clearance from the SRA.

04:12The main reason for this is not to regulate the imports but to gather accurate data on how many are really importing.

04:22The effect of this on the industry, we noticed a slight drop in demand for refined sugar in the industry.

04:31The demand for refined sugar dropped by almost 4%.

04:38However, the demand for locally produced refined sugar increased by 22%.

04:45Our demand for imported sugar dropped by 32%.

04:49As a whole, it dropped by 4%.

04:52This is the decrease that we noticed.

04:54This started when the price of sugar increased on 20-22 August.

05:01We quoted this from Secretary Chu Laurel and we saw that while the demand for sugar dropped,

05:13the demand for 1702, 0304, and artificial sugar also increased.

05:20So, this increase is to effectively plan the supply of our local sugar and importation and everything else.

05:30We need 100% accurate data on the importation of the so-called other sugars.

05:37This is really important.

05:40We should investigate that the legitimate importers who really need to use these other sugars.

05:52Sir, you mentioned earlier the Sugar Order No. 6 and I understand that its implementation is temporarily suspended.

05:59What were the concerns of the sugar industry players and did there already be a dialogue?

06:07Yes, we already finished the dialogue with the users of items under 1702, 0304.

06:17We amended it to SO6 and it became Sugar Order No. 4.

06:24We already released it.

06:26What we are doing now is implementing the rules and guidelines based on the suggestions of the concerned importers actually.

06:39So, most of them are industrial users and their main concern is the additional paperwork to get the clearance.

06:50So, the agreed solution is that the legitimate importers should create an online portal for the SRA so they can apply online.

07:01We also created a green lane for the customs where the approval is faster.

07:07And the most important thing is that Secretary Chu Laurel and I agreed on the SRA

07:14that their applications for imports, if the SRA cannot be implemented within 5 working days, it will be deemed approved.

07:23So, the concerned parties are happy and more or less we've come to an agreement.

07:30So, we included their suggestions in the guidelines so we can start implementing Sugar Order No. 4 for now.

07:40Sir, from the importation, let's talk about the export.

07:44There are more than 66,000 metric tons of sugar in America that will be exported this April.

07:53Yes, ma'am. We already wrote to the USDA and they already answered.

08:00What we wrote is 66,000. Their answer is 66,235 metric tons.

08:10The cost of the difference actually is the different measuring units.

08:16The US uses different ones compared to us who are using a metric system.

08:22We will export 66,235.

08:26This is a voluntary program.

08:28What we did or if anyone is curious about how we allocate,

08:33the allocation is based on Sugar Order No. 2

08:38where the participating exporter or importer will buy local farmer sugar

08:47so they can get the equivalent allocation.

08:50So, it's all performance-based.

08:52There is no subjectivity.

08:56So, for now, we already talked about 66,235.

09:02The SRA is just waiting for the update of the exporters on their ship and schedule.

09:09Sir, how do we determine the quality of the sugar we are exporting?

09:14Just like that, sir, the sugar is being exported to the US.

09:17So, how do we determine that its quality is high?

09:22Yes, the quality control of the Americans is strict.

09:27So, last year, our export was delayed.

09:31We exported in August.

09:33We were just a little bit late on the September 30 deadline.

09:37And because it was August, there was a slight decrease in the quality.

09:44What happened there was that the exporters were penalized.

09:47It's the risk of the exporters.

09:50So, this year, what we did, usually, January, February, March,

09:55the peak of local production.

09:57This is where we issued the export order.

10:02I think this year, it's Sugar Order No. 5.

10:06So, at least for now, we are sure that their ship is fresh.

10:10It's freshly milled because the milling is ongoing.

10:15Okay. Thank you very much, Mr. Oraz, SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Ascona.

10:22Thank you, Ma'am Nguyen, and thank you, Sir Joey.

10:24Thank you, sir.

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