Molasses import proposal still needs some refinements

June 25, 2019
Jasper Y. Arcalas (Business Mirror) | https://bit.ly/2J7x4mj

The proposal of some local ethanol producers to import molasses to hike their feedstock supply and be able to venture into exporting the fuel component has been stalled as the government is still figuring out on how to streamline the procedures.

The government has not issued any formal guidelines two months after officials attending a House of Representatives hearing disclosed that Roxas Holdings Inc. (RHI) may import molasses for its plans of exporting ethanol to Asian markets.

At a news conference on Tuesday, officials from Department of Energy and Sugar Regulatory Administration pointed at each other on the developments of RHI’s import proposal.

DOE officials said they are still awaiting for the SRA to initiate a policy recommendation on the RHI’s proposal to import molasses since the commodity is within its regulatory jurisdiction.