THE decision of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) as announced on Monday to allow the importation of 160,000 to 200,000 metric tons of sugar in the coming weeks is wholly necessary to stabilize the country’s supply and prices under the present circumstances. From here onward, however, the sugar industry and policymakers must ensure it is the last time such a decision has to be made.

Sugar is a relatively bright spot in Philippine agriculture. The country is capable of producing sugar in abundance, so much so, in fact, that a considerable portion of each year’s production is earmarked for export. Even with the various handicaps the sector faces, there is realistically no reason short of a significant natural disaster that destroys a large portion of the crop that local market demand cannot regularly be met by robust supply at appropriately competitive prices.