This opinion was expressed by Vyacheslav Chuk, the commercial director of «Astarta» agri-industrial holding, for «Ekonomichna Pravda».

«This year, we plan to return beet crops and sugar production to the level that existed before 2022. We form a full-fledged ecosystem around us and involve small farmers and other smaller companies in cooperation. We go to them and say: grow sugar beet, and we will process it, increase our sugar exports. In general, the country plans to produce 1.6-1.7 million tonnes of sugar, while last year it was slightly more than 1.3 million tonnes. The domestic market currently does not need more than 1 million tonnes of sugar», — he explained.

And he emphasized that Europe consumes a lot of sugar — 17 million tonnes per year, and a large part of the product is imported.

Based on its capabilities, Ukraine can cover approximately 20% of European sugar imports. In this way, we can become one of the key players in the EU supply chain, replacing the existing Brazilian imports, which are not quite in line with the principles of sustainable development. It is worth talking about: this is a good chance for us, and for Europe — an opportunity to get a good stable partner that produces quality products and cares for the environment.

Instead, Ukraine itself introduced restrictions on European markets (this is a zero sugar export quota set by the government from June 5 to September 15, 2023) and isolated the access of Ukrainian producers to this key market, he recalled.

«The state should take a balanced approach to the issues of its regulatory policy in relation to export markets, especially during the period of martial law. At the same time, business is ready to increase the volume of product processing, to invest in ensuring that we do not export only raw materials. Business is ready to ensure predictability, sustainability of exports, and demonstrate a reliable partnership. The government should also do the same», — Vyacheslav Chuk believes.