Russia not planning to extend ban on sugar exports after Aug 31 - AgMin

MOSCOW. Aug 27 (Interfax) - The ban on sugar exports from Russia, in effect until August 31, will not be extended.

"Currently, there are no plans to extend the temporary ban on the export of cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose after August 31," the Russian Agriculture Ministry's press service told Interfax.

Further decisions will depend on the sugar beet harvest in the new season and will be coordinated with EAEU partners, it said.

Russia has imposed a temporary ban on sugar exports from the beginning of May to August 31, 2024. This measure is intended to support the stability of the domestic food market, the ministry said.

However, the government is allowing a total of 181,500 tonnes of sugar to be exported to other EAEU countries, including 28,000 tonnes to Armenia, 5,000 tonnes to Belarus, 120,000 tonnes to Kazakhstan and 28,500 tonnes to Kyrgyzstan.

Russia exported over 700,000 tonnes of sugar from August 1, 2023 through the end of February 2024, a 3.3-fold increase over the same period of the previous season - the agricultural year in Russia for sugar starts on August 1. Limiting exports will maintain sufficient carry-over stocks and provide sufficient sugar volumes for EAEU partners, the ministry said.

The Russian State Statistics Service (Rosstat) has said the country produced 6.6 million tonnes of sugar in 2023, up 10% from 2022. Production including syrup was 6.8 million tonnes. Russia consumes around 6 million tonnes of sugar annually.