News
02.08.2011
Ukraine to almost triple area of sugar beet fields by 2017, says ministry
The Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry expects that sugar beet fields in the country will almost triple in area by 2017 compared to 2001, to 1.5 million hectares.
"In five years we should have at least 1.5 million hectares with sugar beet and produce 60-65 million tonnes of beet per year," the press service said, citing Agricultural Policy and Food Minister Mykola Prysiazhniuk.
He said that positive moves in this direction could be seen now: over one-and-a-half years the sugar beet crop areas in the country have grown by 130,000 hectares, this year coming to 540,000 hectares.
He said that beet sugar production is expected at 2.2 million tonnes in 2011 with domestic consumption of 1.9 million tonnes per year.
The minister said that some of products would be sent to produce biofuel to prevent a fall in domestic prices of sugar due to a rise in production.
"Scientists have calculated that if the price of oil is higher than $93 per tonne, it is profitable to produce biofuel. Now we're working on the laws," he said.
As reported, in 2010 Ukrainian sugar refineries produced 1.54 million tonnes of beet sugar, which is 21.7% up on 2009.
In 2010 Ukraine sowed 502,000 hectares with sugar beet and harvested 13.6 million tonnes.
