MANILA, (PNA) — Sen. JV Ejercito urged the Dept. of Agriculture in Monday’s budget deliberation to further strengthen the local sugarcane industry.
Ejercito said this way, the DA will be ready against possible destabilization effects of the lifting of sugar tariff by 2015.
He showed concern on the issue since without visible program, locally produced sugar may not be able to compete with the influx of cheaper, imported sugar products from the ASEAN-member countries.
He urged DA Secretary Proceso Alcala to come up with modernized programs that could endure the unavoidable outcomes of the sugar trade.
At the same time, it would promote the interests of farmers and mill workers, Ejercito added.
The younger Ejercito also filed The Sugar Cane Industry Development Act of 2013 (SB 1229) to ensure legislation and implementation of programs that could revitalize and strengthen the sugarcane industry.
Meanwhile, he also asked Alcala, if the agency was doing anything to attract students to enrol in agriculture courses.
The DA chief simply replied by saying that the agency was giving scholarships.