Australia may help China expand sugar production

Australia could be the key to helping China maximise its sugar production to meet the country's growing sugar needs.

A Chinese delegation of senior agronomists and research scientists from the Guangxi Province are touring Queensland and northern NSW to gain a better understanding of how the sugar industry here operates both structurally and scientifically.

Kerry Latter, from lobby group Mackay Canegrowers, says China sees Australia as a world leader in sugar research, technology and best practice.

"It's the advances that we have in tissue culture development that is occurring, the breadth of the varieties, the reaction of us to pests and diseases and the on-farm practices growers have developed to maximise their production and minimise costs."

Mr Latter says the Chinese want to improve their industry.

"They want to maximise their production with the available land that they have, and I think they want to improve their varietal research and they want to gain an understanding of how best to extend that research."