This is true. If we paid the ‘world market price’ for raw sugar, a 5 lb bag would cost about a dollar.
http://www.indexmundi.com/commodities/?commodity=sugar
The soft drink mfrs went to using HFCS back in the 60’s because the sugar became too expensive, due to limits imposed on imports (http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/imports/ussugar.asp), tariffs (read taxes) and the powerful domestic sugar industry lobby (read campaign contributions - http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=A1200 ).
Wow. That’s about the time I started having a weight problem. Go figure.