Ukraine’s sugar exports rise 11% to 646,000 tonnes despite weak prices
Ukraine exported 646,000 tonnes of sugar worth nearly $300 million in the 2025/26 marketing year, an 11% increase from the previous season. Central Asian markets helped offset restrictions in the EU, while reduced beet planting points to lower exports in 2026/27.
Exports grow as producers diversify markets
Ukraine exported 646,000 tonnes of sugar during the 2025/26 marketing year, which ended on 31 August, according to the National Association of Sugar Producers of Ukraine, Ukrtsukor. The volume increased by 11% from 580,000 tonnes in the previous season and generated nearly $300 million in foreign-currency revenue.
The increase came despite a second consecutive year of weak sugar prices and continuing wartime disruption. Ukrtsukor chair Yana Kavushevska said the return of Ukrainian sugar to traditional markets in Central Asia helped the industry maintain a high level of shipments and compensate for restrictions on access to the European Union market.
Central Asia joins the leading destinations
Central Asian markets rapidly entered the top three destinations for Ukrainian sugar. Uzbekistan accounted for 17% of total exports, while Lebanon represented 16%. EU countries collectively received 20%, up from 17% a year earlier. Bulgaria alone took 55% of the sugar shipped to the bloc, indicating that Ukrainian sales within the EU remained concentrated in one national market.
The destination mix shows that exporters were able to redirect part of their available supply rather than depend solely on the EU. For producers and traders, the recovery of Central Asian demand created an alternative outlet at a time when European market access was constrained. The higher overall volume nevertheless came in a low-price environment, limiting the revenue benefit of the expansion.
Lower beet area points to a smaller export surplus
Ukraine’s sugar output reached 1.72 million tonnes in the 2025 production season. Of that total, 26 Ukrtsukor member plants produced 1.64 million tonnes, while one additional non-member factory also processed sugar beet. The sector supplied the domestic market while maintaining substantial exports, but the production outlook for the next season is weaker.
Farmers planted 162,000 hectares of sugar beet for the 2026 harvest, the lowest area recorded since Ukraine became independent. Ukrtsukor does not expect output to fall to a historical low because modern agricultural technologies should support yields. The association forecasts production of about 1.2 million tonnes in 2026/27, broadly matching the 2020/21 level. That volume is expected to cover domestic requirements and leave approximately 300,000 tonnes for export, less than half the 646,000 tonnes shipped in 2025/26. Beet processing is expected to begin after 10 September, around two weeks later than usual. The smaller projected surplus could intensify competition among exporters for available volumes and make destination selection more important in the coming marketing year.
