Some ''organizations'' are requesting to import sugar for consumer as the retail price of refined sugar reached 90 pesos a kilo, a Department of Agriculture official said.

This was disclosed by Agriculture Undersecretary Kristine Evangelista in a radio interview on Wednesday.

"I have received a report that there are some organizations requesting for imported sugar to reach the consumers instead of the industrial buyers," she said.

"We know that we have insufficient supply of sugar. That is why we are importing but we are now focused on lowering the price of sugar for our consumers. The industrial side, I think the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), has dealt with that already so now it is time to look at the consumer level, so that our households will also have access to cheaper sugar," she added.

Last month, SRA Administrator Hermenegildo Serafica admitted that Philippines may "run out of sugar" as its supply is now in "critical volume" due to the temporary restraining order on sugar importation issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 73 in Sagay City, Negros Occidental.

Based on the retail price monitoring of the Department of Agriculture, the price of refined sugar increased to around 35 pesos from 55 pesos per kilo on December 31, 2021 to 90 pesos per kilo on Wednesday. Robina Asido/DMS