The new sugar season is a little late, compared to the previous year, and started on August, 30 with Tomashpil sugar refinery launch.

«Last year sugar season began on August, 20, this year it was postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions. Spring frosts influenced the sugar beet development, so, as of September, 1, the average size of root crops is 435 g, which is 10% less than last year. According to this factor, the average yield is expected to decline to 420-440 centners/ha», — sais Vasyl Dolinsky, the analyst of the commodity markets and agriculture of «Ukrsugar».

He forecasts, that the optimal rainfall in Western Ukraine could provide the yields forecast at the last year level, but the preliminary analysis of sugar content is lower by 0.5-1%. «The worst situation is in Poltava and Kharkiv regions: because of spring frosts and sugar beet subplanting 100 g of root weight were lost. 20% of sugar beet areas, which make up the raw material area for eleven sugar refineries, are located in this regions», — explains Vasyl Dolinsky.

«Beet does not have enough moisture, there were no rains for 120 days in our region. We hope to harvest at least 400 centners/ha this year, with the fact that in previous years we harvested at least 700 centners/ha», — commented Mykola Tymchenko, the director of «Kysivske» PAE, Kharkiv region.

It is difficult to assess the situation in the central regions of Ukraine, where rainfalls fell unevenly. The vast majority of large farms have problem areas, suffered from lack of rainfalls, but the rest of the crop in the region have no problems with moisture.

Recall that on the same period of the last year, there were 8 sugar refineries in operation and 20,300 t of sugar were produced.