IKAR in Mass and Industry Media

Russia may break own record for sugar beet output in 2005

Interfax

MOSCOW. Dec 30 (Interfax) - Russia may break its own all-time record for sugar beet production in 2005, the Agrarian Market Affairs Institute (IKAR) has forecast.

Sugar output from sugar beets will total 2.5 million tonnes in 2005 against 2.25 million tonnes in 2004, IKAR said. The previous record of 2.48 million tonnes came in 1993.

The Russian Sugar Producers' Union said that sugar beets were still being processed at 13 plants as of December 21. Based on the number of roots left to be processed, six plants are expected to be working in January 2006.

Growth in sugar beet production has been continuing for the last few years despite an 8% drop in the area that can be planted with such crops in 2004 and a 4% decrease in 2005, experts say. The growth is attributable to an increase in the yield of sugar beets.

Russia annually consumes about 5.5-5.7 million tonnes of sugar. The remaining sugar it consumes comes from the processing of imported raw sugar.

05.01.06

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