China revises down sugar output forecast for 2017-2018

BEIJING - China's sugar output from October 2017 to September 2018 is expected to reach 10.25 million tons, according to a report by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

The projected output was down 50,000 tons from the previous forecast made last month, according to the Chinese Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates released in April by an advisory body under the ministry.

The monthly analysis report attributed the revision to lower sugarcane output in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, the country's largest sugar manufacturing base.

From October 2017 to March 2018, sugar output rose 10.6 percent year-on-year to 9.54 million tons, the report said, noting that it is near the end of this production season.

It cautioned of an impact on the domestic price from declining sugar prices on the international market.