Ukrainian sugar refineries have processed 10.08 million tonnes of sugar beets and produced 1.48 million tonnes of sugar since the launch of the current sugar production season on August 20, according to the Ukrtsukor sugar producers` association.
The amount is about 77% of the output projected by Ukraine`s Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry in the 2016-2017 marketing year (September 2016 through August 2017), Ukrtsukor`s press service said.
In the same period of the previous marketing year, Ukraine produced 1.43 million tonnes of sugar from 7.97 million tonnes of sugar beets.
This year, the average sugar content of sugar beets is 17.8% with the sugar recovery rate being 14.85%, which was 0.11% up on the same period last year.
”This made it possible to significantly boost production of granulated sugar whose excess amounts are successfully exported by Ukrainian producers to Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Georgia, and other countries,” head of Ukrtsukor`s analytical department Ruslana Butylo said.
Ukrtsukor says that the current sugar production season was rather calm, except for climate changes in August and November. Therefore, almost 44,000 ha sown with sugar beets remained under snow due to heavy snowfalls last week. However, experts claim that this crop is resistant to frosts as low as ”minus” 10 degrees Celsius, and producers will be able to complete the harvesting campaign without loss.
Experts forecast that the majority of Ukrainian sugar refineries will complete the production season by the end of 2016. As of November 16, four refineries (two in Kharkiv and Khmelnysky regions each) halted production. Only three refineries will continue processing of sugar beets in January.
Ukrtsukor said the Ukrainian refineries started the current season on August 20, and 41 refineries were in operation.
Ukrtsukor predicts two million tonnes of sugar will be produced in the 2016-2017 marketing year.
The Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry projects sugar output at up to 1.85 million tonnes in the current marketing year. Supply on the sugar market is expected to exceed 2 million tonnes with ending stocks included. Demand on the domestic market is projected at 1.6 million tonnes.
In the 2016-2017 marketing year, sugar production quotas were granted to 44 Ukrainian refineries against 37 in the previous season.
