In the current marketing year, Ukraine is expected to export about 505 thousand tons of sugar, which is 19.7% less compared to the previous season. Sugar beet and sugar production have been affected by external trade restrictions, according to ProAgro Group.

Taking into account last year’s harvest, the country will be able to produce about 1.3 million tons of sugar, which is 26.3% less than last year and 12.6% below the five-year average.

Last year, the area under sugar beet decreased to 199 thousand hectares, down 21.6% from the previous season and 12.4% below the five-year average. The main reasons were EU quotas on sugar supplies and complicated logistics to third markets. At the same time, yields increased to 49.3 tons per hectare, up 2% from the previous season and 4.4% above the average. Total production is expected to reach 10.2 million tons.

Following the introduction of EU quotas, exports in the 2024/25 marketing year fell to 629 thousand tons, down 14.2% year-on-year. In 2025/26, a further decline to 505 thousand tons is expected. The main export destinations remain Africa (32%) and the Middle East (29%), while the EU accounted for only 17%.

Domestic consumption is also declining. Before the full-scale war, it stood at 1.1 million tons, while in 2025/26 it is projected to fall to 0.9 million tons, mainly due to population decline.

The inability to quickly redirect exports to alternative markets has led to reduced planting areas and lower production. At the same time, high yields and carryover stocks at the beginning of the season (620 thousand tons) allow Ukraine to fully meet domestic demand and continue exports, increasing shipments to traditional markets.

As reported, according to Ukrtsukor, in the first half of the 2025/26 marketing year (September–February), Ukraine exported 270 thousand tons of sugar. The main destinations during this period were Lebanon (29%), Syria (17%), and EU countries (14%).

Source: UCAB