Heralding a new era for sugar industry in China: Post IS-2004 scenario

Abstract

The International Symposium on Sustainable Sugarcane and Sugar Production Technology (IS-2004), was successfully held from November 29 to December 2, 2004 in Nanning, Guangxi, P.R. China. It was a mega event in the history of Chinese sugar industry and was attended by over 270 delegates from 20 major sugarcane growing countries. The IS-2004 Proceedings and Technical Sessions of this symposium generated tremendous enthusiasm amongst everybody related to sugarcane industry and rekindled the hope of its glorious future. A special session “Sugar Industry Across the Globe” provided a unique platform for the participants to share about problems and prospects of sugar industry in their country. Sugarcane production in China has more than 3000 years of glorious history, documented in religious and historical literature. Prior to 1840 A.D., China dominated the world trade of cane sugar but in the later period the sugar industry became very weak due to long time of wars and unstable social conditions. It has been developing rapidly again since early 1980s. Currently, China is the third largest sugar producer in the world with 10.02 million tons of sugar output in 2003–04 milling year, and sugarcane contributed to 94.0% of the total sugar output. Guangxi is the biggest sugarcane growing province in China producing over 5.88 million tons of white sugar which occupied 58.4% of the total sugar and 62.3% of the cane sugar produced in China, respectively. China has developed a series of unique and effective technologies for sustainable sugarcane and sugar production, especially for sugarcane production in upland area which occupies 90% of the total sugarcane production in China, maintaining cane yield in the range of 60 to 70 tons cane per hectare. Many sugarcane scientists and development officials after assessing the potential of Chinese sugar industry have remarked that China will be a Sugar Super Power, if sugarcane research and sugar industry continue to maintain its pace of current development.