MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture (DA) will look into increasing tariffs on artificial sweeteners to protect the local sugar industry. In a recent interview, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said a tariff tweak should help increase the demand for local sugar. “Five percent lang siya ngayon. (It’s only at 5 percent now.) So, I really don’t know kung saan tayo papunta (where will be our direction). But it should not be, it should not be too high,” he said on the sidelines of the induction of the new officers of the Economic Journalists Association. READ: Sugar farmers […]... Keep on reading: DA wants higher tariffs on artificial sweeteners to protect sugar farmers