Vietnam is expected to encounter shortage of 100,000 tons of sugar in the 2006-2007 ending next July, according to the Vietnam Sugar Association on Wednesday.

Local experts estimated the total sugar production in Vietnam at more than 1.2 million tons, while the domestic sugar demand at over 1.3 million tons, said the association.

Vietnam, with the current production scale, may need to import 500,000-600,000 tons of the product worth some 300 million U.S. dollars from now to 2010, it noted.

The country has pledged to import some 55,000 tons of sugar each year after it joins the World Trade Organization, hopefully this year. It will gradually reduce taxes on sugar imported from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from current 40 percent to 30 percent in 2007 and 0-5 percent in 2010.

Vietnam imported nearly 80,000 tons of sugar in the first five months of this year, increasing 15 times over the same period last year, according to the country's Trade Ministry.

Source: Xinhua