SRA identifies land to expand sugar cane production

In anticipation of a surge in demand for biofuel feedstock, the Sugar Regulatory Administration of the Philippines has identified 174,236 hectares of land that could be planted for sugar cane intended for ethanol production. The SRA said the areas identified included “green areas or new land,” existing sugarcane plantations and existing farm areas. Ideally, the ending inventory for every crop year should only be 300,000 metric tons, or just enough for the country’s two-month requirement. SRA data showed that 7,000 hectares of the identified areas were in Central Negros and 19,000 hectares were in San Carlos, Binalbagan and Bago City, all in Negros Occidental. The Philippine government is targeting investments totaling Php80 billion (US$1.68 billion) in the biofuel industry by 2011, according to SRA head Rafael L. Coscolluela. About 20 investors are interested in building biofuel plants that cost Php4 billion (US$84 million) each on average, he said, during the signing of the Joint Administrative Order on the guidelines governing biofuel production. “We are bringing back investor confidence by coming up with predictable rules (on accreditation for biofuel production under the administrative order),” he said. (December 11/14, 2008)