Coca-Cola Urged to Prioritize Local Sugar Amid Indonesian Imports

A coalition of sugarcane producers and labor groups has urged Coca-Cola to prioritize locally produced sugar amid reports that its Philippine bottling arm, Coca-Cola Europacific Aboitiz Philippines (CCEAP), has begun importing finished beverage products from Indonesia.

The appeal was issued jointly by the Sugar Council, which represents various industry associations, including the Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations and the Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers. The group warned that continued reliance on imported finished products could reduce demand for Philippine sugar, threatening the livelihood of local farmers and workers.

The groups also questioned whether the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) was aware of the imports, citing Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona's reported admission that he was surprised by CCEAP's decision. They urged the Department of Agriculture, the SRA, and other government agencies to investigate the extent to which finished-product imports are displacing locally produced sugar.