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Domestic market
Domestic demand
Table Total Thailand domestic consumtion of sugar
| Year |
Beginning stocks |
Production |
Total supply |
Exports |
Domestic consumption |
Ending stocks |
|
1,000 tons
raw value
|
| 1998/99 |
450 |
5,386 |
5,836 |
3,352 |
1,800 |
684 |
| 1999/00 |
684 |
5,721 |
6,405 |
4,147 |
1,650 |
608 |
| 2000/01 |
608 |
5,107 |
5,715 |
3,394 |
1,750 |
571 |
| 2001/02 |
571 |
6,355 |
6,926 |
4,300 |
1,850 |
776 |
| 2002/03 |
776 |
6,000 |
6,776 |
3,800 |
1,850 |
1,126 |
Source: USDA
Domestic consumption of sugar is estimated to be about 0.1 million
tons in 2001/02, up from 1.7 million tons in the previous year
but equal to 2002/03, according to the USDA
According to the Thai Farmers Research Center (TFRC), sugar
sales in Thailand in 2002 have been quite slow so far, despite
economic recovery over the first half of the year - registering
3.7-3.8 percent growth - keeping its pace of expansion from
the previous year. The contrary direction in sales is in part
because the turnaround has not been experienced in all sectors.
What's more, the lower prices of local fruit have resulted in
higher demand for fruit and lower consumption of preserved fruits
and sweets - leading to decreasing demand for sugar. More importantly,
sugar demand from wholesalers and the industrial sector has
also been on the ebb, given high inventory from last year. Domestic
sales of sugar this year are projected to total some 18.5 million
sacks, up slightly by 2.2 percent year-on-year. In 2001, sugar
sales volume posted a significant growth of 7.6 percent. Meanwhile,
it's noteworthy that uncertainty in the US economic revival
is set to be another risk factor for sugar sales at home. Amid
slow exports and demand for sugar from the industrial sector,
in particular the food industry, the sugar market is set to
become sluggish, as a whole.
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