Former SRA administrator says government must prosecute illegal traders

BACOLOD CITY, March 18 (PNA) - Former Negros Occidental Governor and retired Sugar Regulatory Administrator Rafael Coscolluela stressed the need for the national government to “prosecute” possible “illegal traders” and those involved in bringing smuggled goods into the country especially sugar.

Coscolluela said that he was already aware of the smuggling trend which he heard about in the past three weeks, adding that he still believes in the capacity of the sugar industry’s Anti-Smuggling Task Force to respond to the issue.

“They know what to do with it and what needs to be done,” he said.

Enrique D. Rojas, president of the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters on Monday in a press statement said that “sugar smuggling has once again reared its ugly head in the country amid the softening of world sugar prices.”

Governor Isidro Zayco on the other hand said any person engaged in any form of smuggling should be dealt with appropriate measures in court.

“Let the national government through its agency take necessary course of action, because smuggling is against the law,” said Zayco.

Coscolluela said the reported smuggled sugar that has invaded the local market of Cebu could have gained its entry from the Mindanao “back door”.

Such were of Thailand-produced sugar, said Coscolluela “that is already affecting the local market”.

He opined that when prices of sugar in the world market drops this would lead to the rise in smuggling activities as it is so tempting act for the traders.

“It’s high time to activate or mobilize effort to search and prosecute retailers…holders or traders,” he said.

Coscolluela predicted that prices of sugar in the country are expected to be stable in the next cropping year by September.

Rojas theorized that due to high world prices which prevented the entry of smuggled sugar into the country, it was only this year that the country’s real sugar consumption had been revealed because all the country’s domestic needs had been sourced from domestic production.

With the present decline in world sugar prices, sugar smuggling has again become profitable, said Rojas. A drastic decline in sugar prices was noted from P2,000 per bag to a low P1,600.

The cheaper smuggled sugar caused domestic sugar prices to collapse to the detriment not only of producers but also of the traders, Rojas said. (PNA)
LAP/GMDelaCruz