Thailand: Sugar production ample despite the effects of drought

Domestic sugar supply was sufficient to serve demand in the industrial and household sectors this year, with total consumption tallying 1.27 million tonnes in the first half, says the Office of the Cane and Sugar Board (OCSB). Sugar cane output is declining in Thailand and other countries because of drought, but officials are confident the country will not face a sugar shortage, said Virit Viseshindh, secretary-general of the OCSB. "We believe there will be sufficient sugar for the domestic market in the 2023-24 crop year, with the amount of sugar cane expected to increase in the next crop year," he said. In the 2023-24 crop year, sugar cane output tallied 82.1 million tonnes, resulting in the production of 8.8 million tonnes of sugar, part of which will be exported. Khon Kaen Sugar Industry Plc (KSL) expects sugar cane output to increase to 90-100 million tonnes in the 2024-25 crop year. The crops are scheduled to be delivered for crushing at sugar mills between November this ...