Cebu city: The official start of the milling season for the crop year 2025-2026 is set for October 1, aligning with the three-year transition period to restore the schedule to the last quarter of the year, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) announced on Thursday. However, with October 1 falling on a Wednesday, SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona indicated that the season might commence on September 29.

According to Philippines News Agency, as of July 27, total raw sugar production has reached 2.084 million metric tons with nearly 26 million metric tons of canes milled. This production comes from 405,000 hectares of sugarcane farms, with 392,000 hectares dedicated to sugar and 13,000 hectares for bioethanol.

During the 71st Philippine Sugar Technologists Association Convention in Cebu City, Azcona acknowledged Mindanao’s sugar cane farmers as pivotal contributors to the industry’s success this year. He attributed the significant production growth to the newly-formed sugar federation led by former congressman Manuel Zubiri, noting that the productivity over the past three years is largely due to the distribution of high-yielding variety canes.

Azcona emphasized that the SRA plans to concentrate on scientific farming approaches learned from international partners to achieve self-sustainability. Alongside Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., he intends to propose an PHP8-billion budget for soil rejuvenation and small-scale irrigation to benefit around 160,000 hectares of sugarcane farms over three years. Additionally, a proposal for PHP1.2-billion is aimed at propagating high-yielding variety plantlets across 20,000 hectares.

While optimistic about the industry’s continued growth, Azcona urged sugar farmers to remain vigilant against the spread of the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation reported in 3,200 hectares in Negros and Panay. He highlighted the need for field inspections and testing on the sugar content of recovered canes to gauge the potential impact.