Turkish minister rules out sugar shortage in 2022
By Nur Banu Aras
Turkey’s Trade Minister Mehmet Mus has stated that there will be no sugar shortage in the country in 2022, Yeni Shafak newspaper has reported.
Mus made the remark during a meeting with representatives from the sugar industry in Ankara.
Representatives from the sector stated that Turkey's beet and sugar production set a new record in 2020, with a $150 million export during the same period.
They stated that climate change caused a decrease in beet and sugar production in 2021.
It was emphasized that in the event of an unexpected sugar shortage in Turkey, the safety stock would be used again this season.
The representatives warned that if sugar factories sell at a loss, the sugar market would suffer. They also stated that private sugar factories have already begun to lose money as a result of recent low sugar prices.
Mus promised to convey the sector representatives' concerns to the appropriate parties after listening to their concerns.
"You keep producing, and we'll fix the problems," Mus said
It should be noted that, assuming favorable growing conditions in Turkey, sugar beet production and planting area are expected to be 19.5 million metric tons (MMT) and 320,000 hectares (ha) in 2021-2022.
The quotas for 2021-2022 were announced by presidential decree on March 20, 2021, as 2.7 MMT for sugar beets and 67,500 MT for starch-based sugar. This figure is the same as the previous two years. As of December 2020, Turkey's restrictions on refined sugar exports were lifted.
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