En Banc Hearing on Philippines Sugar Industry Set for Sept

BACOLOD CITY, Sept 11 Asia Pulse - An en banc hearing set to tackle the ongoing woes of the Philippines' sugar industry is set for this month, Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Melvin Ibaez said.
Ibaez said the hearing will be attended by stakeholders of the industry, the Department of Agriculture, Committee on Laws of Cooperatives, farmer groups, planters, and small medium entrepreneurs.

"This is a privilege for the sugar cooperatives and other industry stakeholders to air their concerns," he said.

The industry has been facing problems on unstable prices, smuggling, hoarding of stocks by traders, increase in the costs of labor, fertilizer, fuel, and spare parts and other farm equipment.

Ibaez said that if these issues and concerns will not be resolved, the small and medium entrepreneurs and consumers will be affected.

Meanwhile, sugar cooperatives are expected to also bring the issue on the imposition of Expanded Value Added Tax (EVAT) which does not exempt even small scale groups

source:asianews