The Ukrainian sugar industry has again demonstrated good export potential and balanced volumes of production with the level of domestic consumption, mentioned Vyacheslav Chuk, commercial director of Astarta, Ukraine’s leading agricultural company. He has announced it on the company’s Facebook page, reported APK INFORM.
Chuk pointed out that last year, Ukraine sugar producers shipped close to 700,000 tonnes of sugar. For the current marketing year, the country is expected to export between 500,000 to 600,000 tonnes of sugar, though the sugar beet harvest still continues.
“Of course, these export volumes will be coordinated with domestic needs in Ukraine, in cooperation with the relevant ministry and industry associations,” Chuk noted. He also pointed out that Ukraine’s sugar export markets are expanding, particularly into the Mediterranean and North Africa.
Chuk further mentioned that local farmers are adjusting to the challenges posed by weather conditions, which have forced them to modify crop rotation and optimize costs per hectare. He stressed that such challenges are not unique to Ukraine, as global market forces will eventually balance through pricing.
“The last two years saw higher profit margins, but now, the global balance in the sugar industry is stabilizing, bringing margins back to average levels,” Chuk explained. He added that the same trend is occurring in the cereals market, where margins have also dropped. As production continues and logistics are still being finalized, he cautioned that clear figures are difficult to predict at this stage.
