Philippines Opens Door for Major Sugar Imports, Boosting Thai Export Hopes
Manila's approval of 424,000 tonnes of refined sugar for 2025 signals a significant opportunity for Thai exporters despite domestic production increases
- The Philippines' Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has approved the import of 424,000 tonnes of refined sugar for 2025.
- The import program is designed to ensure sufficient national supply and stabilize prices, as domestic consumption is projected to outpace local production.
- This decision is viewed as a major opportunity for Thai sugar exporters, whose product is favored in the Philippine food and beverage industries for its quality.
- Imports are scheduled to arrive between July 15 and November 30, 2025, to bolster the country's reserves following the end of the local harvest season.
The Philippines' Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has given the green light for the import of 424,000 tonnes of refined sugar in 2025.
This move, reported by the Philstar and relayed by Thailand's Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), is designed to ensure adequate national supply and curb surging retail prices, presenting a promising prospect for sugar exporters, particularly from Thailand.
The SRA's decision to launch this import programme followed a comprehensive review of historical supply and withdrawal data, alongside consultations with key stakeholders across the sugarcane industry.
While current sugar volumes and prices in the Philippine market remain stable, the SRA board highlighted that the impending end of the sugarcane harvest season and limited existing stocks necessitate government intervention. This, they argue, is crucial to maintain stability in both supply and pricing.
Sugar Order No. 8, the directive outlining the imports, explicitly states that its purpose is to guarantee sufficient sugar for domestic consumption and to bolster reserves.
Imports under this order are slated to commence incrementally from 15 July 2025 and must conclude by 30 November 2025. The incoming sugar will be classified as "C" sugar, denoting it as reserved stock, which cannot be immediately released for local sale until reclassified by the SRA.
Sugar Order No. 8, which came into effect on 11 July 2025, is projected to generate up to 279.84 million pesos in customs processing fees for the SRA, an agency operating under the Philippine Department of Agriculture.
A fee of 33 pesos per 50-kilogram bag of imported sugar stock has been set, with the total volume allocated to companies that have previously participated in SRA programmes.
Furthermore, the SRA has linked this import initiative to broader programmes aimed at bolstering domestic farmers' incomes while simultaneously stabilising retail prices.
Authorised importers include entities that have procured raw sugar from local farmers at above-market rates, as well as those who have committed to exporting raw sugar to the United States.
Latest SRA data from 22 June 2025, indicates that the Philippines' raw sugar production for the 2024-2025 crop year reached 2.06 million tonnes, marking a four-year high. However, government estimates place domestic consumption significantly higher, at approximately 2.2 to 2.4 million tonnes annually.
The Office of Commercial Affairs in Manila noted that "sugar" is a highly sensitive commodity in the Philippines, with imports strictly regulated through Tariff-Rate Quotas (TRQs) overseen by the SRA.
While the Philippines produces sugar for both domestic consumption and some exports, averaging around 2.3 million tonnes annually (50% for industrial use, 32% for households, and 18% for other institutions), the nation periodically relies on imports during periods of insufficient domestic supply.
"The approval of 424,000 tonnes of sugar imports will contribute to an expansion of Thailand's sugar exports, presenting a favourable opportunity for Thai sugar exporters," the DITP's Manila office stated. "Thai sugar continues to be favoured by the Philippine food and beverage industries, owing to its globally recognised quality and standards."
In 2024, Thailand's sugar exports to the Philippines were valued at 121.38 million USD, a significant decrease of 67.02% from 368 million USD in 2023. However, for the first half of 2025 (January - June), Thai sugar exports to the Philippines showed a rebound, reaching 20.29 million USD, an increase of 4.24% compared to 19.47 million USD in the corresponding period of 2024.
