BACOLOD CITY – A Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) official called for unity in pursuing long-term solutions for the sugar industry as mill gate prices improved last week. In a statement Monday, Sugar Board Member David Andrew Sanson said lasting measures are needed to "address production, pricing, marketing, and other challenges facing the sugar industry." “We are grateful that prices of sugar and molasses are going up since last week," Sanson said, noting that mills in northern Negros Occidental have already recorded increases, with southern mills expected to follow. Last week’s bidding saw sugar prices rise to P2,300–P2,400 per 50-kilo bag from P2,100–P2,200 over the past three months. Molasses prices also climbed past P9,000 from P7,000–P8,000. Sanson attributed the increase to the Sugar Board’s export program approved last year, despite opposition from some groups. “We have proven that their version was a total failure, thus we decided to move with our own program. Now, farmers are reaping the benefits of better sugar prices and molasses,” he said. He warned that "the sugar industry cannot afford a repeat of what has happened in the past three months when prices were not even at break-even point for some farmers, particularly the small ones". "We must unite, work on a long-term plan to maintain equitable prices, be more open-minded, and set aside our differences for the good of the sugar industry,” Sanson said.