The Philippine sugar industry faces six overlapping systemic stressors that threaten farmer livelihoods, cooperative strength and national food security. Overimportation during crop year 2025-26 depressed farmgate prices by 38%, inflicting ₱7.28 billion in direct losses and ₱19.78 billion when indirect costs are included. El Niño-related losses projected for 2026-27 range from ₱2 billion to ₱4 billion in direct yield reductions and from ₱7.1 billion to ₱11 billion when indirect effects are considered. An infestation of the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI), Pulvinaria tenuivalvata, threatens up to 390,000 metric tons of sugar valued at ₱15.6 billion under a worst-case scenario. Rising […]...Keep on reading: Imports, pests and alternative sweeteners threaten PH sugar industry