Kyiv: According to the national sugar union Ukrtsukor, the sugar producers in Ukraine are gearing up to produce around 1.85 million tons of white sugar in 2024, and the exportable surplus could total 950,000 tons in the 2024-25 season.
During the Soviet era, Ukraine’s beet sugar production peaked at 5 million metric tons. However, challenges such as export issues and competition with cane sugar led to a significant decline in output over the years.
In 2023, the country managed to produce 1.8 million tons of white beet sugar, thanks to farmers expanding the sugar beet sowing area to 250,000 hectares from 186,000 hectares in 2022.
Looking ahead, Yana Kavushevska, acting head of Ukrtsukor, stated that the sugar beet sowing area for the upcoming season would remain steady at 250,000 hectares, projecting a production of 1.85 million tons of sugar. With domestic consumption estimated at 900,000 tons, Ukraine anticipates an exportable surplus of 950,000 tons for the 2024/25 marketing year.
The Ministry of Agriculture expects sugar output in 2024 to match the previous year’s level at 1.8 million tons, with exports reaching 900,000 tons.
Kavushevska emphasized that the European Union remains a crucial market for Ukrainian sugar exports, with approximately 493,000 tons supplied to the EU in the 2023 calendar year.
