Rep. Javi Benitez Rejects Blame on House Hearing, Cites Oversupply as Cause of Sugar Price Drop

March 18, 2026

Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez firmly denied claims circulating online that the congressional hearing triggered the decline in sugar prices, saying the market downturn was caused by oversupply and policy decisions not legislative oversight, March 18. Rep. Benitez described the allegations as baseless and irresponsible, noting that the accusations allegedly originated from within the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA). “Rather than answer for the oversupply it authorized, the SRA would rather point the finger at the institution that chose to investigate it,” he said. The lawmaker stressed that sugar prices are determined by supply and demand, not hearings. He cited data showing that at the start of the October 2025 milling season, total physical sugar inventory reached 902,082 metric tons, up to 44 percent increase from the previous year, while carry-over stocks stood at 738,633 metric tons, nearly double the ideal buffer level. He said these conditions reflected an excessive supply already in the market. Rep. Benitez also pointed to Sugar Order No. 8, which authorized the importation of 424,000 metric tons of refined sugar scheduled to arrive between July and November 2025, coinciding with the opening of domestic milling. Negros sugar leaders, he noted, had recommended only 150,000 metric tons. According to him, the timing and volume of imports contributed to the sharp drop in farm-gate prices, which fell to between Php 2,000 and Php 2,200 per 50-kilo bag by January 2026, below production costs. “All of this happened before any hearing was announced,” he said, adding that commodity prices respond to actual market conditions, not congressional inquiries. He emphasized that traders stopped purchasing because warehouses were already full, not because of new information from the House. Rep. Benitez further said the hearings conducted in aid of legislation helped build the basis for the Department of Agriculture’s extension of the sugar import ban through December 2026, describing the moratorium as vital protection for local producers. “Ang hearing nga ila ginabasol, amo ang nagprotekta sa aton,” he said, underscoring that Congress acted to address instability in the industry and stand by farmers. *

You Might Also Like

Rep. Javi Benitez to Host Public Consultation as Sugar Prices Plunge in Negros Occidental

Rep. Javi Benitez Pushes Global-Backed Film Reform as House Panel Advances Landmark Creative Industries Bill

Rep. Javi Benitez Files RESCUE Act to Broaden Economic Crisis Response Beyond Bayanihan Framework