Cristal Union reports that its sugar production for 2024/25 has increased to 1.5 million tonnes

The second largest sugar producer in France, Cristal Union, announced on Wednesday that it had produced 1.5 million metric tonnes of sugar in 2024/25. This is up from 1.3 millions tons in the previous season. This was primarily due to an increase in the area harvested in its cooperative members.

It said that the total ethanol and alcoholic production in 2024/25 would rise to 2 million Hectolitres. This is up from more than 1.5 million Hectolitres produced in 2023/24.

A company spokesperson explained that the increase was due to an increase of 6% in the area of sugar beet harvested this season. This offset a decline in yield, to nearly 84 tonnes per hectare - below the average for the past five years compared to more than 86 tonnes per hectare in the previous season.

Sugar beet yields can be calculated based on 16% sugar.

The seasons run from the harvesting of sugar beets in the fall to the next year. The sugar processing process takes between three and four months.

The production trends of Cristal Union are in line with the overall sugar beet production in France, despite yields dropping to a low not seen in 17 years due to adverse weather.

Last week, the company announced that it had signed an agreement with the Lesaffre family to acquire the refinery located south of Paris. This marks a new consolidation of the French sugar industry.

The factory also agreed to process sugar beets harvested from members of Ouvre, another factory that decided to close.

In a financial report last month, France's biggest producer Tereos stated that yields will also be below five-year average. (Reporting and editing by Gus Trompiz, Jan Harvey and Sybille De La Hamaide)

(source: Reuters)