About 30% of the world's supply of sugar is derived from sugar beet, the vast majority of which is produced in industrialised countries, while the remaining 70% is derived from sugarcane, mainly produced in developing countries and under tropical climates. Annual consumption is now running at about 120 million tons and is expanding at a rate of about 2 million tons per annum. The European Union, Brazil, and India are the top three producers and together account for some 40% of the annual production.

In the EastAgri region, top sugar beet producers include Russia and Ukraine, followed by Turkey and Poland. Turkey has seen growth of over 500% in production over the past several decades, from 2.8 million tons in 1961 to around 15 million tons presently.

Other important producing countries include Serbia, Belarus, and the Czech Republic. Production is anticipated to rise in the Russian Federation despite a fall in planted beet area, sustained by record yields, both at the farm and mill levels. Sugar output is expected to fall in Ukraine, where farmers cut the area sown to beet in favour of more profitable grains and sunflower seeds.

Sources: FAOSTAT; FAO Food Outlook 2004 -2009; FAO and EBRD Agribusiness Handbooks; EastAgri