In 2023, Ukraine achieved significant growth in sugar exports, exporting 506 thousand tons of products and earning $390 million in revenue, according to the State Customs Service and the Share UA Potential portal.

This is an almost threefold increase compared to 2022, when exports amounted to 181 thousand tons worth $139 million. Thus, Ukraine has almost returned to the level of record exports in 2017 and 2018, when it exported almost 600 thousand tons of sugar per year.

This success of the industry is due to the high profitability of sugar beet in the first half of the season (September-August) and a significant increase in the planted area in Ukraine to almost 250 thousand hectares in 2023 compared to 184 thousand hectares in 2022.

According to forecasts, sugar production in Ukraine in 2023 will amount to 1.7-1.8 million tons, with domestic consumption at 1 million tons. Given the absence of export restrictions, Ukrainian sugar exports are expected to remain active in the coming months.

The main export market is the European Union, where the key producers are Radekhiv-Sugar, Ukrprominvest-Agro, and Astarta.

However, Polish and French sugar beet producers have demanded restrictions on Ukrainian sugar imports to their countries, complaining about the negative impact on their business.

Representatives of Polish producers argue that increased sugar imports from Ukraine pose a threat to their sector, demanding that the new Minister of Agriculture ban Ukrainian sugar in Poland.

Nazar Mykhailovin, chairman of the board of Ukrtsukor, warns that such restrictions could lead to the bankruptcy of sugar factories and the closure of the already oversaturated market, leading to job losses and economic instability.