Former Defense Secretary and senatorial candidate Gilbert (GIBO) Teodoro sees the need for policy reforms to save and boost the local sugar industry. He raised these challenges that are needed to be addressed in a meeting of UniTeam and their local allies during their visit in Bacolod City on February 23, 2022.

Gibo Teodoro, a former Tarlac congressman, pointed out that one of the challenges in agriculture sector is the land retention limit, which is a maximum of three hectares of compact land based on the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law.

“The Department of Agrarian Reform continues to insist that the land retention limit shall be three hectares, which is not an economy of scale,” Teodoro said. “We have to clarify that for the stability of the tenure arrangements and so that they (the farmers) can invest properly.”

Gibo Teodoro noted that sugar production in the country has been fluctuating in the past three years based on data of the Sugar Regulatory Administration. He said factors that limit the growth of sugar farmers include declining farming area for sugarcane and low productivity. He added that expanding the land retention limit will help sugar farmers to increase their yields.

He also emphasized the importance of sugar industry for the country, particularly for Negros Island, as sugar is one of the top five crops in the country in terms of value following rice, banana, corn, and coconut.