Senator Imee Marcos flags 30% drop in sugar millgate price

Senator Imee Marcos warned about the significant drop in the millgate price of sugar, which has decreased by nearly 30 percent, posing a serious risk to farmers’ incomes.

The senator attributed this price drop to the Sugar Regulatory Administration’s (SRA) decision to allow sugar imports, despite an adequate domestic supply.

“There’s a harvest and no shortage of supply, yet the SRA still imports? Who benefited from this again?” Marcos asked.

Farmers in the Negros Island Region said cheaper imported sugar is now preferred by buyers over locally produced stocks. 

They noted that even at the millgate level, prices have already weakened, with traders reportedly holding back purchases, leaving farmers with little choice but to sell at lower rates.

Data show the steady decline in millgate prices, which have dropped from ₱2,801 in October 2024 to ₱2,267 as of April 2026.

As the situation worsens, Marcos has renewed her call for immediate government intervention to protect farmers’ livelihoods. 

Current losses have reached approximately ₱200 to ₱400 per bag. Notably, while farmgate prices continue to fall, retail prices remain largely unchanged.

“The government should buy the harvest now, similar to the National Food Authority (NFA) system for rice, to stabilize prices and prevent oversupply,” the senator added.

“Reckless importation without basis or direction must stop. In this time of crisis, our farmers should come first, not imported goods,” Marcos concluded.