Ukraine was able to export 265,000 tonnes of sugar in seven months of the current marketing year (September 2022 - August 2023), which is 4.8 times more than in the entire 2021-2022 marketing year, acting Board Chairman of the National Association of Sugar Producers Ukrtsukor Nazar Mykhailovyn has said.

"For the entire period of 2021/22, 55,000 tonnes of sugar were exported. From September 1, 2022 to March 28, 2023, Ukraine increased exports by 4.8 times, to 265,000 tonnes," he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

According to Mykhailovyn, in 2022, 23 Ukrainian sugar factories produced 1.33 million tonnes of sugar, while a year earlier 33 enterprises produced 1.45 million tonnes. "The decline in sugar production by 120,000 tonnes with 30% of production capacity being idle was not critical for Ukraine. In addition, we had a surplus and significant transitional balances from 2021/22 of 491,000 tonnes," the head of the association said.

He recalled that as of the beginning of the war, the sugar export from Ukraine suspended due to hostilities. On June 5, 2022, a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers was adopted to allow the export of sugar under licenses issued by the Ministry of Economy. Due to hostilities and the lack of seaports, Ukraine was forced to change the geography of exports. According to the European Union's decision, Ukraine has the opportunty to ship sugar to Europe without tariff quotas and duties.

According to Mykhailovyn, due to the drought and poor harvest of sugar beets, as well as higher natural gas prices than in Ukraine, Europe produced less sugar, and it was more expensive than Ukrainian. "Ukraine was able to sell sugar in Europe," he said.