European Union: Sugar Annual

EU27 sugar production forecast for market year (MY) 2022/23 is projected at 16.3 million metric tons (MMT), as farmers reduce sugar beet plantings in favor of more profitable crops. That is a decrease of 250,000 MT below the MY 2021/22 production, but 340,000 MT above MY 2020/21. EU27 sugar consumption is forecast stable at 17.0 MMT after a slight recovery from the COVID-19 induced decrease. High EU sugar prices may lead to a substitution for other sweeteners, like isoglucose, of which production is expanding. The EU food industry is reducing sugar contents in food products by 10 percent by 2025. The influx of several million refugees from Ukraine may lead to an increase in EU sugar consumption. EU27 sugar imports in MY 2022/23 are forecast down again to 1.7 MMT, compared to 2.0MMT in MY 2021/22. Sugar imports in MY 2020/21 ended at 1.8 MMT, despite the EU competing with the UK for preferential sugar after Brexit. The EU27 sugar export forecast for MY 2022/23 is also stable compared to MY 2021/22.