Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines Inc. yesterday confirmed that it has no schedule to import premix sugar for 2012, Sugar Regulatory Administration chief Ma. Regina Bautista-Martin said.

SRA records show the CCBPI importations of premix sugar for calendar year 2010-2011 (September to August) was 998,900 Lkg.-bags or 49,945 MT and for CY 2011-2012 (September to November ) was 203,200 Lkg-bags or 10,160 MT, Martin added.

No CCBPI sugar premix importation was made in December 2011, SRA records also showed.

Sugar and labor groups in Negros Occidental last year declared a boycott on CCBPI products for its importation of sugar allegedly in the guise of premix to avoid paying the 38 percent tariff on imported sugar.

They also alleged that its “massive” importation brought down the prices of domestic sugar.

CCBPI, however, has insisted that its actions were legal. A case against CCBPI for its importation of the premix sugar is now pending before the Valuation and Classification Review Committee of the Manila International Container Port.*CPG

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