Sugarcane (Saccharum L. spp. and Saccharum interspecific hybrids) and sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L. and Beta interspecific hybrids) are the two principal sources of world sugar. Sugarbeet, grown in 49 countries accounts for 28% of world sugar production, while sugarcane grown in 82 countries accounts for the remaining 72% (Anon 2002). In 2000/01, 93.7 million tonnes of sugar was produced from sugarcane. India and Brazil (20.1 and 17.0 m tonnes, respectively) are the two largest cane sugar producers followed by China (5.8), Mexico (5.2) and Thailand (5.2) (Anon 2002).