The National Federation of Sugarcane Planters yesterday called on Sugar Regulatory Administrator Ma. Regina Martin to immediately investigate the entry into the country of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) reportedly sourced from genetically-modified corn, which could be hazardous to health.

“For the sake of the health of our consumers and the welfare of our sugarcane farmers, we urge SRA to immediately investigate this matter,” NFSP president Enrique Roxas said.

NFSP has received information that 11,000 metric tons of HFCS were imported into the country from China since September 2012 to January, he said.

Martin said the SRA has no evidence that the HFCS brought into the country are GMOs so it cannot jump to conclusions.

“We are monitoring the entry of these HFCS, and have made necessary proposals to the Department of Agriculture since this is not sugar, but corn, to see how these can be addressed, she said.

The SRA is encouraging the users of HFCS to shift to domestic sugar instead since prices have been quite stable and affordable to the market. “Let's patronize Philippine sugar”, she said.

Rojas, in his letter to Martin, asked the SRA to ascertain what company or companies made the HFCS importation and in what products it was used.

It is distressing that some companies continue to import HFCS, thereby reducing demand for sugar and consequently exerting downward pressure on domestic sugar prices to the detriment of our sugarcane farmers, he said.

“Worse, the imported HFCS, which was reportedly produced from genetically modified corn, poses a health hazard to unsuspecting consumers who eat or drink these products, which are mixed with HFCS from genetically modified corn,” he added.

It bears pointing out that Negros Occidental, through Provincial Ordinance No. 07, Series of 2007, bans the entry of GMOs in the province because of the health hazards they pose, he also said.

In April 2009, the province seized P18 million-worth of genetically modified corn seeds at Bredco Port and shipped them out of Negros Occidental to protect Negrenses from the dangers of GMOs, Rojas added.*CPG

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