http://m.agrimoney.com/news/china-sugar-woes-to-drag-it-behind-thailand-in-output-league--8850.html
Abandoning sugar cane'
The bureau's downgraded forecast for Chinese sugar production reflected too ideas of a drop in cane area, driving production down 8m tonnes to 90m tonnes.
"Since 2011-12, the [state guaranteed] floor price for sugar cane has dropped by more than a quarter, while production costs are estimated to have nearly doubled, largely due to higher labour costs.
"Farmers have increasingly been abandoning sugar cane and switching to specialty crops to increase farm income."
This has led to China sugar imports increase by 50%.
Drought in Cuba too contributes to sugar deficit predictions.