Indonesia 2008 sugar deficit seen at 966,000 tonnes

Indonesia's sugar production next year is likely to be 966,000 tonnes short of expected consumption, a gap that will be covered by imports, data from a state-owned sugar firm showed on Tuesday.
Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest sugar buyer, is expected to consume 3.67 million tonnes next year while production is estimated at around 2.7 million tonnes, Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia (RNI) said in a report. RNI's president director, Rama Trihandana, said growth in population and the food and beverages industry had contributed to the rise in sugar consumption.