Sugar output up 6.5% in Ukraine

Ukrainian sugar refineries have completed the current sugar production season, having produced 2.14 million tonnes of sugar since its launch on August 30, 2017, which was 6.5% up against last year's figure.

"The production season is over. Forty-six sugar refineries have produced 2.14 million tonnes of sugar, which is 6.5% up from last year. Noteworthy, the increase in sugar output could be even greater, but the weather conditions during the growing season did not contribute to an increase in sugar beet yield. As a result, we have low rates of sugar content and sugar recovery," Head of Ukraine's National Association of Sugar Producers Analytical Department Ruslana Butylo said, as reported by the Association's press service.

According to the official, growth in sugar production is related to the increased acreage under sugar beet and the launch of four more sugar refineries.

Read alsoUkraine gets permit to supply beet seeds to EU marketUkraine's leader in the sugar output over the period under review was Vinnytsia region with 445,600 tonnes of sugar. It is followed by Khmelnytsky region with 290,200 tonnes and Ternopil region with 283,500 tonnes, the press service said.

Moreover, it was possible to increase the output of the 1st category sugar due to planned upgrades of sugar refineries.

"In the 2017-2018 MY, the production of the 1st category sugar accounted for 50% of the total production structure compared to last year's 30%," Butylo said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the Ukrainian farmers during the 2017 spring sowing campaign sowed sugar beets on an area of 313,000 hectares, according to the agrarian ministry.

Read alsoUkraine boosts sugar exports 29% in 2017The Ukrainian enterprises over the past season of sugar refining, which started on August 20, 2016, and ended on January 11, 2017, processed 13.7 million tonnes of sugar beets, having produced 2.01 million tonnes of sugar, while demand on the Ukrainian market in 2017 was estimated at 1.54 million tonnes.

In 2016, the output of raw sugar materials increased by 30% against 2015, while sugar production rose by 40%.