P30M Worth of Suspected Misdeclared Sugar from Vietnam Under SRA Testing

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has ordered the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to test samples from 14 container vans of imported goods from Vietnam that may have been misdeclared as sweeteners. The containers could contain up to P30 million worth of refined sugar, which is subject to higher tariffs and stricter import rules.

Declared as “sweet mixed powder,” the shipments arrived in three batches and were flagged by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) during a preliminary inspection. Officials suspect the actual contents are 350 metric tons of refined sugar—labeled as “TTC Sugar” and produced by Vietnam’s Bien Hoa Consumer Joint Stock Company—comprising 88% white sugar and 12% glucose.

The misclassification appears to involve the use of Tariff Code 1702, potentially to avoid SRA import clearance. Refined sugar has a 1% tariff, while the misdeclared category is taxed at 5% for ASEAN imports.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized that the DA and SRA have not issued any recent import clearances for sugar. While the consignee remains unnamed pending investigation, further lab analysis is being conducted on three product samples.

A courtesy meeting with Subic Port authorities was also held to discuss the case, which the DA says underscores the importance of accurate tariff classification and the need to safeguard the domestic sugar industry.