Negros island: An official of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) on Wednesday called on sugar mills to increase the trucking allowance for sugar farmers amid rising fuel prices.

According to Philippines News Agency, board member David Andrew Sanson, the planters representative, issued an appeal through a letter sent to sugar mills nationwide. "We respectfully request for your management to consider increasing the trucking allowance for farmers delivering sugarcane to your mill to help offset fuel costs until such time that the fuel prices normalize," Sanson stated in a letter dated March 24.

SRA's directory showed that of the 25 sugar mills in the country, 13 are based in Negros Island, which produces more than 60 percent of the country's sugar output. In some areas of Negros Occidental, diesel prices have reached as high as PHP125 to PHP126 per liter as of Wednesday.

"Due to the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, this sharp rise in fuel prices has significantly increased the cost of transporting cane from farms to the mill," Sanson said, adding that the situation has "placed a substantial financial burden on farmers and threatening the continuity of sugarcane supply."

Sanson expressed hope that the sugar mills would consider "humanitarian reasons" and increase the trucking allowances to help offset fuel costs. "We are all trying to survive this crisis, and I hope the sugar industry stakeholders will come together to help each other and to ensure the future of our beloved sugar industry," he added.

In Mindanao, the Busco Sugar Milling Co. Inc. and Crystal Sugar Co. Inc., which are based in Bukidnon, are already extending temporary fuel support or adjustment to sugarcane planters to help ease the burden of increasing fuel prices.