American sugar growers are wondering if storms and drought will deal another body blow to production while fretting if the deal to settle a dispute over sweetener trade with Mexico is good for their industry, industry officials said Sunday.
The US sugar industry will be mulling these issues and the longer-term ramifications of an open sugar market with Mexico in 2008 at their annual meeting here this week.
"In the short run, the concern (for American sugar growers) will be the overall supply/demand situation," Jack Roney, director of economics and policy analysis for the industry group American Sugar Alliance, told Reuters in an interview. The discussions will focus on "how well the beet and cane crops will bounce back from the weather problems last year," he added.