Philippines warns on sugar shortages in the country due to low output and import delays

MANILA, June 26 (Reuters): A sugar shortage in the Philippines has worsened as local production missed forecasts and due to a delay in planned imports of up to 200,000 tonnes of the refined sweetener, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has announced this week.

Raw sugar output in the crop year ending Aug. 31 is now seen at 1.8 million tonnes, below a previous estimate of 1.98 million tonnes and compared with average annual demand of 2.03 million tonnes in the past three crop years, the government agency said.