German association predicts increase in refined sugar production this season

HAMBURG (Reuters) - Germany’s refined sugar beet production in the new 2024/25 season, now underway, is expected to rise to around 4.64 million metric tonnes, Germany’s sugar industry association WVZ said on Tuesday in its third crop forecast. Last season, the country produced 4.22 million tonnes, the association said. The new figure was slightly lower than its second production estimate for the new season of 4.95 million metric tonnes in October. While output is expected to be higher than last year, the association said it was concerned about the spread of diseases in Germany’s crops that were threatening yields. About 75,000 hectares of German sugar beets are suffering from such diseases, compared with about 40,000 hectares in previous years, and the WVZ was watching the development with “great concern,” it said. German farmers ...