Sugar beet output forecasted to drop 17-24% yoy in 2009

Ukrsugar, the Ukrainian association of sugar producers, said yesterday that it forecasted a 17.4-23.8% yoy decrease (or to 1.2-1.3 mln mt) in sugar beet output, Interfax reported. At the same time, Ukrsugar said the situation would not lead to a deficit of sugar on the local market, due to projected reserves equal to about 570 ths mt as of Sept. 1, 2009, and plans to import 260 ths mt of cane sugar. Ukrsugar said that 64 enterprises will be manufacturing sugar from sugar beets this season.