The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has forecast that sugar production in the European Union (EU) will grow 3% in the 2023-24 season. This increase is expected to be driven by strong crops in Eastern European countries, such as Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary, which will offset a decline in production in France, reported Reuters.
The USDA estimates that EU beet sugar production will reach 15.5 million metric tonnes, up from 15 million tonnes in the previous season. This growth is attributed to increased plantings, particularly in Poland, where plantings have increased by 19%.
France, the EU’s largest sugar producer, is expected to see a decline in production due to concerns about banned chemicals. However, this decline is expected to be more than offset by the gains in other Eastern European countries.
