It is reported by «Golos Ukrainy».

The figures are better than last year. Despite this, according to preliminary forecasts, sugar isn't getting cheaper. Why?

At the peak of sugar-refining season, the price of natural gas has increased significantly. In the fall of 2020, the sugar producers paid UAH7-8 per cubic meter of natural gas. Now they are forced to buy the same amount of gas for UAH28. Increased costs will affect the sugar production costs. Sugar price can rise to UAH35 and even UAH40 per kilo. 

Gaisin and Tomashpil sugar refineries have a possibility to use coal instead of gas, the technological equipment is adapted for this purpose. If the gas price does not decrease, they will switch to alternative fuel.

In total, there are five sugar refineries in operation in the region. They processed 1,1 million tonnes of beets and produced 165 thousand tonnes of sugar.

Beets were harvested from 44,7 thousand hectares — 90,1% of the total area. More than 2,2 million tonnes of beets were harvested. The average yield amounted to 505,5 centners/ha — 92,3 cetners/ha more than last year. 1,3 million tonnes of raw materials were delivered for processing.

It is planned to complete sugar beet harvesting by the end of the first decade of November if the weather stays dry.