Lacson said the drought 'will impact on Negros Occidental because sugar is still our primary agricultural product.''So we can expect less purchasing power from consumers,' he said.He said that Negros Occidental incurred the biggest damage to sugarcane because it is the biggest sugar producer in the country.'But if rain comes soon, it will minimize the damage because sugarcane is a sturdy crop,' Lacson pointed out.
In a radio interview, United Sugar Producers Federation President Manuel Lamata supported the decision to import sugar during the 'gap' between the El Niño and the rainy season.Lamata said El Niño created exceptionally dry conditions that affected sugar production.He said the current season was something he had never seen before, and that he isn't sure if farmers could recover.'If you look at crops, you'll feel pity. It's like it's been burned.