Vietnam's sugar imports

Vietnam's sugar imports

HANOI (AFP): Vietnam is to curb refined sugar imports from next year as domestic production is sufficient to satisfy demand, a senior Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development official said yesterday.

"We have told the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Trade that imports of sugar will be suspended as of 1997," the official said.

Sugar production is expected to reach 300,000 tons in 1997.

The official said the import ban could be lifted in the future if domestic output fails to keep pace with demand.

Vietnamese imports of sugar have declined steadily thanks to improved hybrid strains and higher yields domestically. In 1996 Vietnam is to import only 20,000 tons of sugar.

Vietnam plans to treble its output of refined sugar to one million tonnes a year by 2000 to meet rising demand from the food processing industry.

Production will be boosted by three foreign joint-venture refineries expected to come on stream within the next two years.