French sugar producers demand market protection from Ukrainian products

MOSCOW. Oct 29 (Interfax) - French parliament member Jordan Guitton has submitted an official appeal to the country's agriculture minister regarding sugar imports from Ukraine, the Ukrainian media reported, citing the National Assembly's website.

Guitton cited data from the French confederation of sugar beet growers (Champagne Bourgogne, CGB), which showed an increase in Ukrainian sugar beet imports from 20,000 tonnes to 400,000 tonnes in 2022-2023 and further to 700,000 tonnes in 2023, leading to a 30% drop in sugar prices in the European Union.

"Lower prices have a direct impact on French sugar beet producers. The EU not only fails to protect the French sugar beet industry, but also permits import of the sugar beet that falls short of the standards set for French beet producers," Guitton said.

Ukraine allows the use of 29 active ingredients in pesticides prohibited in the EU, he said.

The EU Parliament recently decided to restrict the import of Ukrainian sugar, having reached a duty-free quota of 260,000 tonnes per year, he said, adding that this restriction, however, will only remain in place in 2024 and 2025.

The French Agriculture Ministry should take steps to protect national producers after 2024, Guitton said, while also wondering whether France intends to demand that Ukraine comply with EU standards as French producers do.