Thai sugar millers are calling for the Office of the Cane and Sugar Board (OCSB) to start the sugar-crushing season on Nov 15, 15 days earlier than usual, because they need 140 days in the new season to produce sugar.
The OCSB is the government agency that regulates sugar cane plantation and production of sugar, while millers have the Thai Sugar Producer Association, Thai Sugar and Bio-Energy Producers Association, and Sugar Industry Trade Association as trade groups.
Siriwut Siempakdee, chairman of public relations for the three associations, said they sent a letter to the OCSB regarding this issue.
"We forecast the volume of sugar cane for the new season will be 120-125 million tonnes, well below the previous season, which ended in early May at 135 million tonnes," he said.
Mr Siriwut said the projection is considered a high volume for sugar millers.
He said millers accelerated production in the previous sugar-crushing season, but some factories could not end the season before Songkran.
Mr Siriwut said the millers' request aims to avoid a cane glut in plantation areas because there is a risk of contaminating sugar cane crops if the season does not end when planned.
"The yield between sugar produced and sugar cane falls late in the crushing season, while pressing machinery in some factories suffers damages from contamination," he said.
"That is why we submitted the letter for the OCSB's consideration, to get the highest quality of sugar cane and increase the yield because millers are ready for new cane from farmers."
Mr Siriwut said sugar millers are encouraging farmers to maintain their cultivation process quality and plans for cane transport to factories.
