The Bureau of Customs-Port of Cagayan de Oro, together with representatives of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and Sugar Regulatory Administration, conducted a surprise inspection of the Crystal Sugar Company Inc. sugar warehouse in North Poblacion, Maramag, Bukidnon province on Aug. 23.

Showing a Letter of Authority (LOA) and a Mission Order (MO) to warehouse personnel, they proceeded to inspect the facility as part of the government’s relentless campaign to bring down the price of sugar.

A total of 466,142 bags of sugar were found in the warehouse, altrhough. Javier Sagarbarria, Vice President of Crystal Sugar Company said 66% of the contents are owned by planters and traders. He said the milling company can produce almost 3 million bags per year with the help of several planter associations in the province whose sugar products were processed in the company, with 66% produced in its favor, and 34% going to the miller.

On Aug. 24, the composite team also inspected the BUSCO Sugar Milling Corporation in Barangay Butong, Quezon, also in Bukidnon. BUSCO Officer-In-Charge Ellen B. Villaflora said the warehouse contained 110,674 bags of sugar, 26,000 of which are raw and the rest already refined. Traders have been withdrawing 10-15 thousand bags per day, she added.

The two sugar mill companies assured authorities that their products are locally produced and are serving the Northern Mindanao and Davao Region markets.

The companies, however, will still be required to produce the necessary documents to support their claims of being local sugar producers, including the submission of their respective Sugar Monitoring System Reports.