India sees bigger sugar exports - Sugar Exim Corp

NUSA DUA, Indonesia, Aug 29 (Reuters) India aims to remain a major world exporter of raw sugar and is heading for a further increase in its crop next year, S L Jain, CEO of the Indian Sugar Exim Corporation, said on Wednesday.

''I'm quite confident that India will establish itself as a regular exporter of raw sugar,'' he told the conference.

Indian exports have rocketed this year after a ban on exports was lifted in January. Exports are headed toward 3 million tonnes or more in 2007/08.

This has been a major factor behind a slide in world sugar prices to near 21 month lows.

Jain also said at the conference that India was headed toward a much larger sugarcane crop in 2007/07.

Raw sugar production could reach 33 million tonnes in 2007/08, up from 28 million tonnes in 2006/07, he told Reuters.

REUTERS MP VC1703