Sugar production in the EU will shrink by almost 1 million tons
this year, the EU will significantly reduce the production of sugar, since sugar beet crops suffered from pests and drought, the result of which would dramatically increase sugar imports.
According to the experts of the group CGB, sugar production in the EU and UK in this year will decrease compared to the year 2019 from 17 to 16.1 million tonnes due to production cutbacks in France, which is the main European manufacturer.
as a Result of damage of crops by pests (especially aphids) sugar beet yields in France will decrease in comparison with the average 5-year rate by 15%, or a decline in acreage will lead to a decrease in production of 38.6 million tonnes in 2019 to 31.7 million tons in 2020. Accordingly, the production of refined sugar in France will be reduced from 4.9 million tons to the lowest since 2003, the level of 4.1 mln tonnes, while the sugar industry is 170 million euros (202 million dollars) in losses.
Manufacturers believe that could prevent the decrease in yield if they were allowed to use neonicotinoids – pesticides that are banned in many countries of the EU for a negative impact on bees.
the Minister of agriculture of France announced its intention to lift the ban on the use of pesticides for sugar beet that farmers began to abandon their cultivation. The sugar industry of the country still recovering from years of low profitability, due to falling sugar prices.
a Similar reduction of yield in the UK will be partially offset by an increase in acreage by 5%, - said a senior analyst at NFU Sugar Arthur Marshall.
In Germany, the sugar beet crops suffered more from drought than from pests. According to experts of the sugar industry Association WVZ, production of refined sugar in the country will decrease compared with the previous season from 4.23 to 4.12 million tons.
According to preliminary estimates of the Association of sugar producers of Poland KZPBC, production of refined sugar in the country will increase in comparison with the previous season, with 2 to 2.2 million tons due to better than last year, the yield of sugar beet.
