Sugar demand may exceed supply

With China's sugracane acreage on the decline and consumption on the rise, sugar prices are slated to increase, state media reported, citing experts from the National Development and Reform Commission. Due to declining prices and cheaper imports, China's main sugar producer, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, announced plans to reduce sugarcane plots from 766,700 hectares in 2003 to 533,300 hectares in 2008.