Ukrainian sugar exports hit the highest level in the past decade in the 2011-2012 marketing year, an industry group official said Tuesday, according to Xinhua.

"Ukraine exported a record 160,000 tons of sugar in the past season, compared with 6,000 tons a year earlier," Petro Borysyuk, first deputy director general of the Ukrtsukor group, was quoted by local media as saying.

High prices and strong international demand for sweetener were the main factors to push the exports in the past marketing year, Borysyuk said.

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During the period, Ukraine provided 21 countries with sugar, he said, adding that Kazakhstan was the main consumer state.

Ukrainian refiners produced around 2.33 million tons of beet sugar last year, compared with 1.54 million tons in 2010.

According to Ukrtsukor, Ukraine is likely to produce around 2 million tons of sweetener in 2012-13, while the annual domestic sugar consumption will stand at 1.8 million to 1.9 million tons.