Latest Sugar News - Incubator

Hurricane Ida damaged 48,000 hectares of sugarcane crops in Louisiana, potentially reducing the harvest by 16-29%. Louisiana is the second largest producer of sugar after Florida. Sugar mills were not affected, and production delays are not expected. The losses in the state's sugar sector amount to $59 million.

The State Duma Committee supported a bill on maximum markups for socially significant products, allowing regions to set markups up to 5% for wholesalers and up to 15% for retail. The goal is to prevent price increases and fairly distribute profits. The government expressed support and highlighted potential risks related to shortages and illegal schemes. The proposal requires further refinement.

France has transferred fuel stocks to sugar producers due to a possible production halt caused by a fuel shortage for machinery. The decision was made following a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture.

Production of sugar in the 2025/26 season is expected to reach 6.2-6.8 million tons, thanks to the expansion of sugar beet cultivation areas. The cultivation area will increase to 1.173 million hectares, especially in the Central Chernozem region. Growth is expected to be between 1 to 4%, mainly in regions with completed crop processing. Yield will be average due to a warm winter, which may require additional plantings.

In 2024, the "Zherdevsky" plant processed 707 thousand tons of sugar beets, yielding 113 thousand tons of sugar. The quality of the raw materials remained high despite the unfavorable weather conditions.

In the new year of 2025, it is planned to increase the processing volume and carry out extensive equipment preparation. The shortage of experienced specialists remains a problem.

The government has postponed the payment of the environmental tax for manufacturers of self-propelled special machinery until December 2025. Decision No. 157 is aimed at supporting domestic enterprises and stabilizing the financial position in the face of economic difficulties.

In the Ministry of Agriculture of Lipetsk, they talk about the planned sowings of 1.4 million hectares in 2025. The main focus will be on sugar beets and oilseeds, considering them the most profitable crops.

Kursk State Agricultural University and LLC BetaSem cooperate with Prodimeks company on experiments with sugar beet genetic material. The university held a strategic session on the development of beet growing and sugar industry, discussing the industry's perspectives and issues. The Ministry of Agriculture approved beet growing as a priority direction until 2030. It is planned to increase the share of domestic beet seeds to 50%.

The increase in precipitation complicates the operation of Brazil's export ports, causing delays in loading ships with soybeans, corn, and sugar. Heavy rains and high demand worsen the issue, leading to an increase in waiting time up to 33 days and a delay in sugar deliveries.

In 2024-2025, GK "Prodimex" produced more than 1.26 million tons of sugar. Zolotukhinskiy plant made over 209 thousand tons; the new crystallizers increased production, and the modernization of beet reception stations improved processes at several plants in Russia.

The Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation has revealed violations: 350 million rubles of grants for potato and beet selection were spent incorrectly. Equipment was purchased unnecessarily due to a shortage of domestic seeds. The Ministry of Agriculture has changed the expenditure control system.

Prices for sugar have decreased after reaching a 12-year peak due to production cuts in India, Thailand, and Brazil.

The UK expects a better sugar beet harvest and increased profitability.