Current Status of China’s Sugarcane (Sugar) Industry and Prospects for Cooperation with Thailand

Guangxi Vocational Normal University, Nanning, Guangxi, China

^* 2393704968@qq.com

Abstract

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the current development status of China's sugarcane (sugar) industry, the China Statistical Yearbook and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization database were utilized to analyze the production and trade conditions of China's sugarcane based on production concentration, regional comparative advantage index, trade competitive advantage index, and the WG model. In terms of production, China's sugarcane production areas are concentrated in the three dominant sugar-producing belts of central and southern Guangxi, southwestern Yunnan, and western Guangdong; the gap in sugarcane yield per unit area between China and Thailand is small, with Guangxi, Yunnan, and Guangdong provinces demonstrating strong regional comparative advantages in the comprehensive production advantages of China's sugarcane-producing provinces. In terms of trade, Thailand is an important source country for China's sugar imports, and there is ample space for China to import sugar from Thailand. The WG model study on the factors influencing the planting area of sugarcane in China found that the previous sugarcane planting area, the sold price per mu of the main product from previous sugarcane, and the sold value per mu of the main product from alternative crops (such as rice) significantly impact the current sugarcane planting area, while the impact of sugar industry support policies on the sugarcane planting area is not significant. It is suggested to strengthen scientific research and cooperation in the sugar industry between China and Thailand, expand the cooperation space in the sugar industry between the two countries, and enhance complementary advantages.