Next week (August 19) sees the start of a week-long international sugar symposium aimed at reviewing opportunities and challenges facing the industry beyond the year 2000.

According to symposium organiser Dr Russell Muchow, Australian sugar producers will need to maintain their production standards of high efficiency and low cost.

"Low cost sugar industries have a great future in the international market," said Dr Muchow. "This one-off symposium will give our international colleagues a unique chance to compare and contrast sugar production methods from around the world."

Sugar 2000 Symposium, which is being hosted by the CSIRO's Division of Tropical Crops and Pastures, will be held at the Sheraton Hotel in Brisbane and attended by over 350 research scientists, industry representatives, growers and policy makers from all over the world.

Among the problems facing the world's sugar industry include increasing competition within the market for sweeteners, the competitiveness of leading sugar producers, the impact of external factors on the industry, and the competition between sugar crops and other crops at the farm level.

"We are anticipating that major decisions regarding the future of the industry will be an outcome of this symposium," said Dr Muchow.

"Over 100 significant papers will be delivered by international industry leaders. But as well as this, Sugar 2000 will give 'hands-on' sugar producers a rare opportunity to compare ideas with scientific researchers and with marketing strategists."

Representatives from all leading sugar producing nations will also spend the week after the symposium touring sugarcane areas in central and northern Queensland.

More information from: Grant McDuling tel 07-3377 0361