EU-28: Sugar Annual
The EU-28 production of sugar for food for MY 2014/15 is estimated to increase to 16.750 million MT in raw sugar equivalent (RSE), from 16.0 million MT in MY 2013/14, as a result of excellent beet yields throughout the EU. For MY2015/16, EU farmers are forecast to decrease beet acreage by 10 percent in response to low prices for sugar production beyond the quota, leading to a drop in sugar production for food to 15.5 million MT. Despite increasing sugar imports from FTAs with South and Central American countries, EU sugar imports for MY 2014/15 are estimated to decrease to 3.0 million MT from 3.3 million MT the previous year as importers are reluctant to pay within-quota duties. Imports for MY 2015/16 are forecast to recover as they complement dwindling EU sugar stocks. EU sugar exports remain bound by the WTO export ceiling at 1.5 million MT.
