Ukraine presented the first certified organic sugar
Ukraine is among the 20 largest sugar producers in the world and one of the 10 largest exporters, according to the results of 2018. Thus, the amount of exports of such product in the past year amounted to USD217 million. At the moment, Ukraine has just begun organic sugar production, but it is already in demand in the European market and in the future also has to conquer the global market.
It is reported by press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.
On April 10, 2019, presentation of the first organic sugar with the participation of Olga Trofimtseva, the Acting Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, was held in Ukraine.
«Today, it is a very significant event. We have the first organic sugar in our state. In fact, I became a witness of the birth of this idea. Only 10 years ago the first domestic organic products began to appear on the shelves of our stores, and today we observe dynamic development of organic production in the domestic market», — emphasized the Acting Minister.
She added that Ukraine increases the range of processed organic products, as it is in high demand in foreign markets as well.
In 2018, «Deddens Agro» (Rivne region) produced the first organic sugar in Ukraine at the facilities of Gnidava Sugar Refinery. Sugar production has been certified by «Organic Standard», the national certification body.
Produced sugar volumes amounted to 850 tonnes, 800 tonnes of which were purchased by the Netherlands company, and the remaining 50 tonnes were sold in the domestic market. The General Director of «Deddens Agro» and «Ritter Bio Agro» Viktor Shcherbachuk said, the company plans to increase organic sugar production up to 1,1 thousand tonnes in 2019.
In order to increase sugar production volumes, this year «Deddens Agro» plans to increase organic sugar beet area by 100 hectares up to 350 hectares.
In 2009-2010, Ukraine certified organic sugar beet as raw material. In 2018, organic sugar beet area reached 247 hectares and the first organic sugar was produced. At the beginning of February 2019, this product was presented at «BioFach», the largest international exhibition of organic products. During the exhibition, a company from the Netherlands won an auction for the purchase of the first batch of organic sugar in the amount of 850 tonnes. The next presentation of organic sugar is scheduled at «BioFach» exhibition in China, where the National Pavilion of Ukraine will be presented for the first time.