Ukraine exports over 400,000 t of sugar since year-start - Agrarian Policy Ministry

The issue of sugar exports was discussed at a meeting of the working group on the development of the sugar industry, which was chaired by Acting Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotskyi, Ukrinform reports citing the ministry’s press service.

The meeting discussed compliance with the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Ukrtsukor and the implementation of the government decree on establishing a zero quota for sugar exports to the EU, which came into effect on June 1.

"Since the Memorandum came into effect (September 2023), a total of 665 thousand tonnes of sugar have been sold. In May 2024, Ukrainian entrepreneurs sold 158.5 thousand tonnes. Of this amount, 110.5 thousand tonnes were exported, including 72 thousand tonnes to the EU countries," the statement said.

Over 48 thousand tonnes were sold on the domestic market at an average price of UAH 24.6 per kilogram.

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food and the National Association of Sugar Producers of Ukraine (Ukrtsukor) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in November 2023. The document regulates the volume of sugar exports in the amount of 750 thousand tonnes per marketing year based on the preliminary balance of supply and demand in the 2023/2024 marketing year.

As reported, on June 5, the updated rules for duty-free and quota-free trade in agricultural products with the EU came into effect, which will be in force for a year. Quotas have been set for some agricultural products based on the average harvest for the second half of 2021 and 2022-2023. This applies to six types of products: sugar, eggs, poultry, corn, cereals, and honey.

Ukraine has already exhausted its quota for sugar exports to the EU, amounting to 262 thousand tonnes.