Production volume of sugarcane Philippines 2012-2023

The Philippines reported about 21.65 million metric tons of sugarcane production in 2023, indicating an approximately eight percent decline from the previous year. Sugarcane production peaked in 2017 at 29.29 million metric tons. 

Western Visayas as the leading sugarcane producer 

Region VI, or Western Visayas, continued to be the leading sugarcane producer in the Philippines, producing about 13.2 million metric tons of sugarcane or about 56 percent of the total production in 2023. In particular, the province of Negros Occidental accounts for most of the sugarcane supply, earning the title “Sugar Bowl of the Philippines”. The region also allocated about 208,000 hectares of land for planting and harvesting sugarcane used for raw sugar production – the highest nationwide.  

Retail price of refined sugar price continues to soar, despite falling wholesale prices 

As of March 2024, the wholesale price of refined sugar in Metro Manila reached 3,565 Philippine pesos for every 50-kilogram bag. This was also a significant decline from the peak price of around 4,800 Philippine pesos per 50-kg bag and about 20 percent from its first spike in January 2023. Despite the decrease, refined sugar still retails at around 94.51 Philippine pesos per kilogram in March 2024, up from just 55 Philippine pesos in the last quarter of 2022.