On 31 January 2022, the European Commission published the study "Adaptation strategies of the sugar supply chain after the end of sugar quotas". The Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Rural and Mountain Research contributed to this work with a case study conducted in spring 2021. The study examines the consequences of the end of quotas for the EU sugar sector and assesses whether and to what extent the sector's adjustment strategies are appropriate for responding to the changed market and production conditions.
The descriptive part of the study summarises the legal framework of sugar production in the EU and provides an overview of the international sugar market and the structures of sugar production in the EU. In the analytical part, the study deals with specific topics (e.g. factors of competitiveness) and describes them on the basis of 13 questions from the perspective of selected countries. . The study shows that low production costs in sugar beet production and processing are important for a high resilience of the sugar sector in the light of changing regulatory and market conditions. Furthermore, contractual agreements between the actors have an overall beneficial effect when it comes to planning and strengthening the economic performance of the sector. Structural characteristics of sugar producers, such as their size, level of diversification and the duration of the sugar beet campaign, also contribute to the economic viability and stability of the sugar sector.
Further information on the study and the sugar sector can be found at
https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/key-policies/common-agricultural-policy/cmef/products-and-markets/adaptation-strategies-sugar-supply-chain-after-end-quotas_en (Zugriff am 01.02.2022).
