Phl’s SRA reappointed to UN body

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines, as represented by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), has been reappointed to the United Nations International Sugar Organization (ISO) Administrative Committee for 2015.

The SRA, over the weekend, said membership to the administrative committee gives the Philippines extensive access to the policy-making process of the ISO.

The London-based ISO is an intergovernmental agency dedicated to improving the conditions of the world sugar market by facilitating discussions between sugar importing and exporting nations.

The ISO also supports the conduct of special studies for the improvement of sugarcane production and utilization of sugar produced.

The agency also seeks to facilitate world sugar trade by providing information on developments on the world market for sugar and other sweeteners.

The ISO also encourages non-traditional use for sugarcane like production of biofuels.

Supporting the Philippines’ reappointment in the committee are Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.

Guatemala has been elected as ISO chairman for 2015 and will host the 29th Annual ISO Conference in Antigua from June 22 to 25 while Sri Lanka was elected vice chairman.

The SRA said the Philippines is studying with the Guatemalan Sugar Association (ASAZGUA) the use of a six-month weather forecasting technology for sugarcane production.

The agency said that if the technology proves to be viable to local production settings, it would be acquired before the 2015 conference in Guatemala.

The Philippines is a key sugar exporter nation and is normally the third largest supplier of sugar under the US import quota program, shipping more than 130,000 metric tons to the US every sugar crop year.

For the current crop year 2014- 2015, the Philippines is allocating five pervent of its total expected domestic production of 2.50 million metric tons (MT) for US exports on top of 11, 704 unshipped US sugar.

It is allocating another five percent of the total projected domestic production for the period to world market exports.

The bulk, or 90 percent of the expected production, would be allocated to the domestic market to cope with increased demand and prevent price spikes.