NEWSFLASH

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AUSTRALIAN TECHNOLOGY COULD TRIPLE RP SUGAR YIELD

Manila, May 6, 1998 - Agriculture Secretary Salvador Escudero is inclined to pursue the RP- Australia sugar technology deal which could double or even triple the country's sugar yield from the present 5 tons per hectare.

Australia is one of the world's biggest producers of sugar. Together with Colombia, Australia has the world's highest raw sugar yield, averaging about 15 metric tons per hectare.

Late last year, Escudero and private Filipino sugar groups met with the Australian Sugar Board to talk about a research and development package that would boost local sugar yields over the next 8 years.

"It is a good deal for the Philippine sugar industry. The government will implement the program that will be good for the sugar industry," Escudero assured planters.

It has been reported that the Philippines is likely to import 45,000 metric tons of sugar from Australia which had offered to supply sugar production technology transfer as part of the sugar import package.

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