RUSSIAN FEDERATION - SUGAR BEET AND SUGAR PRODUCTION

Russian Federation represents an important power especially in the area of beet sugar production and consumption in the World. Almost 146 mil. inhabitants consume over 5.8 mil. t of sugar per year and the volume of consumption is constantly growing. After the very long period of Russian sugar sector stagnation, the Russian Federation focused its effort on the process of production capacities restoration both in the area of sugar beet production and beet sugar production. The paper identifies the most significant trends and tendencies influencing the development of Russian sugar production during the last two decades. In the period 1992-2000 the Russian Federation recorded a significant drop in its own sugar beet growing and processing capacities (more than 50%). Russia also reduced the volume of sugar production and Russian trade in sugar competitiveness decreased its competitiveness - that resulted in growth in import dependency (own production dropped below 25% of domestic consumption). However, in the period 2000-2013, Russia recorded a significant resurrection of its market and economy. During this period sugar beet production increased from cc 14 mil. t to cc 45 mil. t and sugar production (in raw sugar equivalent) increased from 1.6 mil. t to almost 4.8 mil. t. However, sugar beet production oscillates - e.g. in 2013 it reached only 39 mil. t. Russian dependency on sugar import was significantly reduced (the volume of import decreased from cc 4.6 mil. t to cc 0.474 mil. t).