The Committee of European Sugar Manufacturers (CEFS) has stated that 17 sugar factories have shut down in the European Union since 2017. This was announced in a statement published by the committee on LinkedIn, reports ProAgro Group.

According to the association, five sugar plants were announced for closure last year alone, while one more factory confirmed it would not process sugar beet in the upcoming production campaign. CEFS emphasizes that these are not isolated cases but rather a persistent and systemic trend.

“These closures are not isolated incidents. They are the direct result of a depressed sugar market, rising production costs, and increasing competition from low-priced imports, which makes many factories economically unviable,” the statement said.

The industry association also stresses that the shutdown of sugar factories has not only industrial but also serious socio-economic consequences. In many regions, sugar plants are key employers and centers of economic activity, and their closure threatens the livelihoods of hundreds of workers and thousands of sugar beet farmers.

Meanwhile, according to Ukrtsukor, during the first three months of the 2025/26 marketing year, Ukraine exported 116.1 thousand tons of sugar, 95% of which was shipped outside the EU market.

Source: Latifundist.com