China’s commerce ministry¹ has opened a six-month investigation² into the country’s rapidly rising sugar imports at the request of local producers, who are still struggling to cope with the end of state-set price floors one year ago.

中国商务部依照国内生产商的要求，对中国迅速增长的食糖进口启动了为期六个月的调查。目前，中国国内生产商仍在艰难应对去年政府统一订购价取消后的局面。

The Ministry of Commerce investigation will focus on import growth during the period from the start of 2011 through the end of March 2016, according to an announcement on its official site.

根据商务部网站上发布的公告，该部门的调查将主要关注从2011年初到2016年3月底这段时期内的进口增长现象。

The Guangxi Sugar Industry Association – which put in the request for an investigation – asserted in its application for investigation that first-quarter imports rose more than 663 per cent during said period, constituting an attack on domestic producers.

申请调查的广西糖业协会(Guangxi Sugar Industry Association)在调查申请书中声称，在上述时期内一季度进口增长逾663%，对中国国内产业造成冲击。

The call for state support follows four straight years of operating losses for China’s domestic sugar industry, with the latest estimates from the US Department of Agriculture forecasting a drop in annual production of more than 20 per cent for the 2015/16 period to 8.4m metric tons, to be followed by a 2.4 per cent drop in 2016/17 as labour costs rise and profitability continues to plummet³.

在广西糖业协会呼吁政府部门予以支持之前，中国国内食糖产业遭遇了连续四年的运营亏损。据美国农业部(USDA)最新估计，2015至2016年期间中国食糖年产量下滑逾20%至840万公吨，而由于劳动力成本攀升及盈利继续大幅下滑，2016至2017年间还会下滑2.4%。

The domestic industry was dealt a heavy blow last September when the provincial⁴ governments of Guangdong, Hainan and Yunnan announced an end to sugar price floors.

去年9月，广东、海南和云南省宣布取消政府统一制定的最低收购价，国内的食糖产业正在应对这一变化导致的沉重打击。

In its annual report on the sector⁵ the USDA cited industry analyses estimating that 90 per cent of domestic sugar manufacturers were operating at a loss by March of this year.

在对该产业的年度报告中，美国农业部援引业内的分析估计，今年3月以前，90%的中国国内食糖生产商都在亏损运营。

It also noted⁶ that imports in recent years had greatly exceeded the 1.95 MMT annual tariff⁷ rate quota⁸, as high domestic prices make imported sugar price competitive even with an out-of-quota tariff rate of 50 percent,

该报告还指出，最近几年中国食糖进口量大大超过了195万吨的年度进口关税配额总量，原因是中国国内高企的糖价导致即使算上50%的超额关税，进口食糖的价格仍然很有竞争力。

Noting also persistent⁹ reports that smuggling¹⁰ of sugar believed to originate in India or Thailand and brought in across China’s long, porous¹¹ borders with Myanmar and Vietnam was still widespread.

报告还提到了不断出现的有关食糖走私仍在大面积出现的报道，这些走私食糖据信来自印度或泰国，通过中缅和中越间漫长而易于穿越的边境线进入中国。

As of May USDA estimates ranked China’s domestic human consumption of sugar at third-the largest globally, only 800,000 tons below that of all EU member states combined.

美国农业部5月份的估计把中国国内食用糖消费量排在全球第三，只比欧盟成员国的总和低80万吨。

Forecasts call for subdued¹² consumption growth in China to gradually regain¹³ steam even as domestic production shrinks, making any additional duties slapped on imports as a result of the new investigation more apt to drive up prices for sugar-hungry consumers.

多方预期预计，尽管中国国内的产量在下滑，中国受抑制的食糖消费增长势头会逐步恢复。这导致对于对食糖需求很大的消费者群体来说，新调查引发的额外进口关税更容易推升糖价。

The commerce ministry estimated its investigation, formally launched today, would draw to a close by March 22.

据商务部估计，这一今天正式启动的调查会在3月22日前结束。