Sugar millers, refiners back import clearance fee on alternative sugars

The country's biggest groups of sugar millers and refiners have thrown their support behind the imposition of a clearance fee on imported sugar alternatives, claiming that the measure is not meant to impede importation of the commodities.

- By JASPER EMMANUEL ARCALAS

In a joint statement, the Philippine Sugar Millers' Association Inc. (PSMA) and Philippine Association of Sugar Refineries Inc. (PASRI) dismissed concerns of certain industry players that the implementation of Sugar Order (SO) 6 would lead to a price hike on various products such as candies and beverages.

SO 6 imposes an import clearance fee on sugar alternatives prior to their release to the market as the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) seeks to capture the volume of sugar alternatives that enter the country.

The SO covers sugar alternatives and sugar-based items under tariff headings 1701, 1702 and 1704.

Commodities under 1701 include sucrose, specialty sugar and flavored syrup while those under 1702 include so-called "other sugars" like lactose, glucose, maltose, maple syrup, honey and caramel.

Goods under tariff heading 1704 are sugar confectionery items such as chewing gum and white chocolate not containing cocoa.