Ukrsugar asks Ukrainian govt to urgently ban sugar exports to EU as export cap reached

MOSCOW. May 17 (Interfax) - The Ukrsugar national association has asked the Ukrainian government to urgently set a zero quota on sugar exports to the European Union in 2024 as the cap imposed by the EU on Ukrainian sugar exports to its countries has been reached, Ukrainian media outlets cited Ukrsugar as saying on social media.

"As a matter of fact, it is about initiating the closure by Ukraine of the border to sugar exports to the EU as soon as possible as sugar exports have already reached the 262,600 cap set for Ukraine in 2024," the association said.

This request is confirmation of the constructive position of Ukrainian sugar producers and of their readiness to integrate into the European sugar market and to meet its requirements, it said.

On May 13, 2024, the Council of the EU extended the suspension of import duties and quotas on Ukrainian goods for another year, i.e. until June 5, 2025, Ukrsugar said. The measure also involves an "emergency brake" mechanism for particularly sensitive agricultural products, including sugar, if the import of these products in 2024 tops the average import volume recorded in the second half of 2021 and throughout 2022 and 2023. Similar "emergency brake" measures could also be applied in 2025 if Ukrainian exports from January 1, 2025 to June 5, 2025 exceed 5/12 of the quota set for 2024.