Philippines May Skip US Sugar Exports Amid Production Woes

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines may not export sugar to the United States this year due to production constraints in local sugarcane, according to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA). SRA administrator and CEO Pablo Luis Azcona said local sugar production may be insufficient to meet the US export quota this year. He said last year’s floods had hit sugarcane areas, constraining local production. The ongoing red striped soft scale (RSSI) infestation and the looming El Niño dry spell could further weigh on harvests. “I’m not really sure whether we will export and to what amount as of now,” Azcona told reporters. If realized, this would mark another year where the Philippines opts out of the US sugar export program. The country had already skipped raw sugar shipments in the 2021 to 2022 and the 2022 to 2023 crop years due to insufficient domestic production. The US Trade Representative (USTR) has retained the Philippines’ sugar export quota at 145,235 metric ton raw value (MTRV) for the incoming market year. The raw sugar export quota will run from Oct. 1, 2026 to Sept. 20, 2027. “We are a bit non-committal as of now. Of course, the US export was a big help when we had a lot of raw sugar,” Azcona said. The Philippines exported about 99,000 metric tons of raw sugar to the United States in the last crop year, according to Azcona. In 2025, shipments totaled 66,085 MT, while exports amounted to 24,179 MT a year earlier. He noted that the SRA will finalize its decision once the sugar milling season begins by Oct. 1. “As of now, we are expecting a drop in production. So, we may have to make a decision whether or not we will export because we need to inform the US, we will do it once milling starts,” he added. Meanwhile, industry group the United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) said that the incoming production this year may fall short to meet both local and industrial demands. UNIFED president Manuel Lamata said the potential decline in production could prompt the need to review the country’s sugar export plans.