ID :
412619
Thu, 07/21/2016 - 09:21
Auther :

Thailand joins ASEAN Sugar Alliance

BANGKOK, July 21 (TNA) - Thailand has joined other fellow member countries in the ASEAN Community (AC) to establish the ASEAN Sugar Alliance (ASA) to become a platform for their cooperation on sugar trade and investment, as well as logistics facilitations. Cherdpong Siriwit, President of the Thai Sugar Millers Corporation Limited (TSMC), told journalists that Thailand and the fellow sugar producing or importing countries in AC, including Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the establishment of ASA. Cherdpong said ASA will also be a stage for the fellow members to cooperate on the exchange of relevant research and development (R&D) projects, as well as technical transfers to further enhance the competitiveness of their sugar cane and sugar industries. Cherdpong acknowledged that AC is a world largest sugar producer and exporter, with Thailand alone being the top sugar exporter in AC and Asia and the world's second largest. According to the TSMC chief, about 50 per cent of Thailand's sugar exports have been shipped to fellow member countries in AC, where demand for sugar normally totals 5-6 million tonnes annually and it is expected to increase to 8-9 million tonnes annually by 2020. The TSMC chief pointed out that Indonesia was Thailand's largest sugar importer last year, followed by Myanmar, Cambodia, and Vietnam respectively. (TNA)

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