Cassava starts to grow again and threatens sugarcane in Thailand

Recent changes in the Thai countryside could alter the balance of the global sugar market starting from the 2026/27 crop. According to data from StoneX, the Asian country, the world's second-largest sugar exporter and leader in cassava exports, is reevaluating its agricultural strategy: the return of cassava profitability is beginning to threaten the dominance of sugarcane in the main producing regions. With a GDP projected at $1.9 trillion in 2025, Thailand had been reducing the area planted with cassava in favor of sugarcane, but the trend has reversed with the resumption of Chinese demand. China, which imported 2.5 million tons of the root in 2024, acquired 4 million between March and July 2025 — 80% of which originated from Thailand. The advance was driven by the rise in Chinese corn prices, which led the feed and ethanol industry to seek cheaper alternatives. "The recovery of Chinese demand can redefine the profitability of crops in Thailand. Cassava is once again a viable ...