Sugar production faces decline due to drought and rising costs

Sugar production is facing a significant decline due to prolonged drought and high temperatures. In Croatia, although the area planted with sugar beets has increased, a substantial drop in production is expected because some beets cannot be harvested due to rot.

Domestic producers are also struggling with rising energy costs, as gas prices have reportedly tripled compared to last year. To mitigate these challenges, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is increasing national support for sugar beet producers from 1.3 to 2.

On a broader scale, the European Union expects sugar production for the 2026/2027 campaign to be approximately 14.1 million tons, down from 16.6 million tons the previous year. This would represent the lowest production level in nearly 50 years.