Mechanizing the production of sugarcane is viewed to reduce remarkably sugar production cost in Vietnam, which is estimated as among the highest in the world, heard a workshop in Ho Chi Minh City on July 14.

According to the Vietnam Sugar and Sugarcane Association, the country now farms sugarcane on over 310,000 hectares, with each turning out 5.47 tonnes of sugar.

In the 2013-2014 crop, the sugar output hit a record high of 1.6 million tonnes.

Participants voiced their concern that local growers have yet to grow disease-free varieties of sugarcane, causing rapid degeneration of the plant.

Meanwhile, substandard harvest and transportation has triggered a sugar loss rate of 10-15 percent (it is 1-2 percent in other countries), making the production costly.

To fix the problems, farmers are called to pay due attention to applying intensively modern techniques relating to watering and tending and selecting good varieties.

Sugar factories should produce more products derived from sugarcane to help further reduce the price of sugar.-VNA