Laibin City Concludes 2025/2026 Crushing Season Successfully: Over 10 Million Tons of Sugarcane Processed, Significant Sugar Output Growth

The Laibin City Sugar Industry Development Bureau recently announced the successful conclusion of the city's 2025/2026 crushing season on April 22nd. The season lasted 151 days, during which a total of 10.8357 million tons of sugarcane were delivered to mills, marking a significant year-on-year increase of 2.3704 million tons. This achievement successfully met the anticipated goals of 'orderly commencement, stable production, and smooth conclusion,' laying a solid foundation for the high-quality development of the city's sugar industry. As a crucial area for national sugar security and a major sugarcane producing region in Guangxi, Laibin City consistently adheres to the high-end, intelligent, and green development direction for its sugar industry. The operational data from this crushing season highlights several outstanding achievements. Notably, the promotion of mechanized harvesting yielded significant results, with 2.3884 million tons of sugarcane harvested by machines, an increase of 1.7016 million tons compared to the previous year. This accounted for 22.04% of the total sugarcane processed, a substantial improvement from the last season. This not only effectively implemented the campaign to advance mechanized sugarcane harvesting but also efficiently resolved harvesting challenges for farmers, significantly improving efficiency and reducing planting costs. Production and processing stages progressed steadily. The average sugar content of sugarcane this season reached 14.72%, with an average sugar yield of 12.99%. Sugar output achieved stable growth, reaching 1.4078 million tons, an increase of 235,900 tons year-on-year, generating an industrial output value of approximately 7.544 billion yuan. This demonstrates the continuous expansion of Laibin's sugar industry scale and its growing resilience. Significant progress was also made in extending the industrial chain, with continuous improvement in the comprehensive utilization of by-products. During the crushing season, the quantity of baled bagasse reached 836,600 tons, an increase of 112,800 tons year-on-year, representing a 15.58% rise, with a baling rate of 7.72%. Molasses production was 338,900 tons, an increase of 66,300 tons, or 24.32%. These figures further promote the development of a circular economy within the sugar industry, achieving efficient resource utilization and supporting green industrial transformation. Measures to benefit farmers were effectively implemented, genuinely safeguarding their interests. Despite the average ex-factory price of sugar (including tax) being 5359 yuan/ton, a decrease of 697 yuan/ton year-on-year, Laibin City proactively implemented its sugarcane procurement mechanism in response to market price fluctuations. The total payable sugarcane funds amounted to 5.761 billion yuan, with 5.516 billion yuan already paid, achieving a payment rate of 95.75%. This effectively ensured stable income for sugarcane farmers and significantly boosted their planting enthusiasm. The planting base continues to be strengthened, empowering future development for the next crushing season. It is reported that Laibin City plans to plant 800,000 mu of new sugarcane in 2026, with 787,500 mu already completed, achieving a completion rate of 98.44%. This includes 645,600 mu of ratoon cropping and 141,900 mu of newly expanded cultivation. By continuously optimizing planting structures and consolidating planting scale, Laibin City provides strong support for the sustained and healthy development of its sugar industry.