Vietnamplus

Vietnamese companies are marketing their agricultural byproducts to the global vegetarian community, leading to a surge in their exports.

Weak demand for domestic sugar and the penetration of smuggled sugar have been dragging down sugar prices in Vietnam, driving many producers into unprofitability.

Five spoons of dried sugarcane juice, 0.1 litre of water and ice are what needed to enjoy a glass of fresh sugarcane juice outside Vietnam.

Thailand’s Cabinet on May 11 approved a subsidy worth 6 billion baht (192 million USD) for sugarcane farmers who cut fresh cane for sugar factories instead of burning them, in a bid to reduce air pollution caused by the burning of plantations.

While many people believe that sugarcane farmers will face difficulties after Vietnam implements the ASEAN Trade In Goods Agreement (ATIGA), there are also some who say it could offer bright prospects for Vietnamese sugarcane to maximise its economic value if there is coordination between the State, scientists, entrepreneurs and especially farmers.

Tariffs cut to zero under the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) from January 1 this year and the COVID-19 pandemic have made for a tough year for the sugar industry, heard an online seminar held by Nhan Dan (People) e-newspaper on September 16.

The General Department of Vietnam Customs must work with ministries, sectors and localities to tackle sugar smuggling and sugar trade fraud, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said.

Development chances for the sugar industry are still ahead if it can re-organise itself more effectively, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at a meeting seeking ways to tackle difficulties facing the sector on February 18.

The Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) is readying measures to counter air pollution caused by increased PM2.5 particulate matter.

With the unique idea of using fermented bagasse (sugarcane pulp) to treat shrimp ponds, Tran Phuc Hau has become the proud director of a company that produces microbiological bagasse pulp.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has set targets to increase the use of organic fertilisers by the end of next year.

Applying advanced technologies in the cultivation of sugarcane is important to improve quality and productivity of the giant tropical grass, Thai experts said at a conference held by Thanh Thanh Cong-Bien Hoa JSC in the southwestern province of Tay Ninh on August 13.

The area under sugarcane in the Mekong Delta has shrunk dramatically during the 2019-20 crop after many farmers switched to other crops following losses in recent years.

More than 10,000 sugarcane–farm households in the central province of Phu Yen are earning higher profits thanks to the use of bagasse from a sugar factory to produce electricity.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said Thailand’s sugar and sugarcane production is forecast to decline in the 2018-19 crop due to unfavourable weather conditions.

Low consumption, high inventory and continuously plunging prices mean tough times for domestic sugar mills, said chairman of the Vietnam Sugarcane and Sugar Association (VSSA) Pham Quoc Doanh.

The sugarcane sector is facing record-low prices despite an increase of 500,000 tonnes of output over last year, leading to high inventory levels, according to the Vietnam Sugar and Sugarcane Association.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) will hold bids for the right to import 94,000 tonnes of sugar this year.

A group of sugar producers has asked for Government intervention as the industry struggles to compete with corn syrup imports.

The sugar industry needs to restructure to compete with rivals in other countries such as Thailand, according to the Vietnam Sugar and Sugarcane Association.