Overview
Vietnam's sugarcane output is about 12 million tonnes a year, with a cultivation area of about 300,000 hectares. It plays an important role in domestic sugar self-sufficiency, but a lack of competitiveness against international prices is a challenge. In recent years the cultivation area has been on a declining trend, and the shift to high value-added alternative crops is advancing.
Growing regions and areas
The main sugarcane producing areas are Thanh Hoa province、Tay Ninh province、Hoa Binh Province Thanh Hoa Province is Vietnam's largest sugarcane producing area, home to the large Lam Son sugar factory. Tay Ninh Province is the main producing area in the south, where several sugar factories operate.
Cultivation methods and harvest season
The sugarcane harvest runs during the dry season from November to the following April. It becomes harvestable 10 to 12 months after planting, and ratooning allows two to three consecutive years of harvest. The introduction of mechanized harvesting is advancing, but in mountainous areas manual harvesting is the mainstay. Switching to high-sugar-content varieties is the key to improving profitability.
Exports and market trends
Vietnam is a net importer of sugar, relying on imports for part of domestic demand. Tariff reductions under ATIGA (the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement) have brought in cheap sugar from Thailand and elsewhere, exposing the domestic sugar industry to fierce competition. A shift to high value-added products such as bioethanol and organic sugar is being explored.
Connections with Japan
There are almost no exports of Vietnamese sugar to Japan. However, projects for sugarcane varietal improvement and the streamlining of sugar-refining processes through the technical cooperation of Japanese companies are being carried out. Agricultural technology extension activities supported by JICA also contribute to the modernization of the sugarcane industry.
