Two of the five operating sugar plants in the Vinnytsia region have suspended production due to a shortage of raw materials. Local farmers were unable to harvest sugar beets because of prolonged adverse weather conditions.
The Vinnytsia Regional Military Administration (RMA) confirmed the information to an Ukrinform correspondent.
“Throughout the first and early second ten-day periods of October, the Vinnytsia region experienced continuous rainfall. As a result, excessive soil moisture prevented farmers from harvesting sugar beets. These weather conditions led to a shortage of raw materials, forcing two sugar plants to halt operations,” the RMA stated.
Officials noted that sugar beet harvesting has now resumed. In recent days, beets have been dug up across 800 hectares.
Currently, three sugar plants remain operational. The two suspended facilities have begun stockpiling raw materials in preparation for restarting production.
Since the beginning of the processing season, sugar plants in the Vinnytsia region have received 700,000 tonnes of raw materials, of which 665,000 tonnes have already been processed. Total sugar output stands at 94,000 tonnes.
As of October 17, agricultural enterprises in the region have harvested sugar beets from 19,000 hectares — 42% of the total planted area. The average yield is 431 centners per hectare, exceeding last year’s figure by 29 centners.
As earlier reported, as of October 10, sugar beets had been harvested from 69,100 hectares across Ukraine, accounting for 35% of the planted area, with approximately 3.5 million tonnes of root crops collected.