China's sugar output seen lower on drought in southwest

BEIJING : Sugar output in China's top growing region is set to be the lowest in six years, said Australia-based Green Pool Commodities on Thursday, as it revised down its estimate for production in one of the world's top producers. Green Pool expects output in southwestern Guangxi region to drop to 5.4 million tonnes in the 2022/2023 season, it said in a report, down 12 per cent on last year, and the lowest since 5.3 million tonnes in 2016/17. Nationwide production will fall to 9.17 million tonnes, it said, reducing its forecast from last month's estimate of 9.52 million tonnes. "Guangxi's rapid winding down points to dwindling cane supply," said the Green Pool report, referring to a shorter than usual harvest. "Local farmers suggested that some cane harvested later in the season has featured considerable drought damage," it added. China's agriculture ministry also reduced its forecast for the country's production by 7.2 per cent to 9.3 million tonnes this week. The cut comes ...