USDA analyses the EU sugar beet sector

Sugar beet production in the 2024/25 marketing year (corresponding to 2024 sowings) is expected to grow by 4% compared to the previous campaign, reaching approximately 15.4 Mt. This increase is mainly due to an increase in the planted area, motivated by expectations of high prices in the sugar market, which has attracted farmers to this crop, according to the report made by the Foreign Agricultural Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). This campaign has seen 6% more area planted than the previous year, reaching an estimated 1,482,000 ha. While the main producing regions maintained stable planting areas, other parts of the EU expanded significantly in response to the expected high sugar prices. The campaign has been difficult. Persistent rains in countries such as Belgium, France and the Czech Republic have delayed planting, while localised drought in others, such as Hungary, has affected root growth. Adverse weather has created uncertainty regarding beet development ...