October 5, 2015
Sugaronline | http://goo.gl/I2T0qC
The Sugar Regulatory Administration is initially expecting the El Niño phenomenon to cause a drop in the country's sugar production for crop year 2016/17, SRA chief Ma. Regina Martin said, according to the Philippines' Visayan Daily Star newspaper.
"We produced 2.316 million metric tonnes last crop year. We are looking at 2.27 million tonnes this crop year. However, mills are claiming to have a low turnout of cane deliveries. We are validating if the drop compared to the same period last year is due to delayed milling or a drop in production," she said.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration informed the SRA Friday that a strong El Niño is now in progress in the tropical Pacific.
It is likely to strengthen further before the end of 2015, and may last until the April-May-June 2016 season, PAGASA said.
If the new canes for 2016/17 do not receive any water in the first three months, their growth will be delayed if these survive the heat, she said.
The canes to be harvested towards February to May 2016 may have a decrease in tonnage, if these do not totally dry up due to the intense dryness, she added.
For planters who can afford shallow well irrigation, they must invest and install these to mitigate any adverse effects of the El Niño. Majority of our sugarcane fields are rainfed. Irrigated farms in a very dry weather may yield a very good harvest yet, Martin said.
The National Irrigation Administration and the Bureau of Soil and Water Management have a memorandum of agreement with SRA following the Sugarcane Industry Development Act, to assist the irrigation system of Mill District Development Councils to provide irrigation, hopefully, this year if possible, but definitely next year, with funding from the SIDA, she added.
Under the SIDA, PHP2 billion (US$43 million) has been allocated in the national budget to assist the sugarcane industry.