Only One Sugar Plant Operates in Zhytomyr Region: Situation on the Sugar Market
The sugar season in the Zhytomyr region is at risk of disruption, as all sugar beet processing in the area is concentrated in a single enterprise. This was reported by the regional state administration, citing the relevant department.
This is reported by AgroReview
Reduction of Areas, Stable Harvest
In 2025, the area under sugar beets was reduced to 4.8 thousand hectares, down from 6.7 thousand hectares in the previous season. Despite a decrease in acreage of nearly two thousand hectares, agricultural producers harvested 235.1 thousand tons of beets, with an average yield reaching almost 495 quintals per hectare.
The main producer of sugar beets is the company LLC “Signet-Center.” Additionally, beets were cultivated by farms such as PAF “Yrychky,” PSP “Sokilcha,” PSP “Saveci,” and several others, but the majority of the harvest came from “Signet-Center.”
Production Cycle and Industry Prospects
The only operating sugar plant in the region is located in the village of Andrushky in the Zhytomyr district and is part of the SIGNET group of companies. The plant began the sugar production season on September 27, providing a complete production cycle—from growing beets to producing sugar under the brand name “Cygnet Agrocompany.”
By the beginning of December, the enterprise had already received 180 thousand tons of raw materials, and the production volume of white sugar reached about 24 thousand tons. It is noted that the sugar content of this year’s beets reached 17.14%, slightly exceeding last year’s figure.
The management of “Signet-Center” plans to process 205 thousand tons of sugar raw materials by the end of the season. The expected production volume is 30 thousand tons of finished product. This almost exactly matches last year’s figures. The finish line of the production marathon is set for December 12.
According to experts, Zhytomyr region consumes about 50 thousand tons of sugar annually for the needs of the population and industry. Local production covers only part of this demand, while the rest of the sugar is supplied by retail chains from other regions of Ukraine, as well as using carryover stocks from previous seasons.
No sugar shortage is expected in the region, although the monopoly of a single plant makes the local market vulnerable. Overall, in Ukraine in 2025, there are 27 sugar plants operating, down from 29 last year, indicating a growing concentration of production and decreasing competition in the industry.
Note: The sugar content of beets is a key quality indicator of the raw material, determining the yield of sugar during processing. The average sugar content level in Ukraine ranges from 16% to 18%. The higher this indicator, the more profitable it is to grow and process beets.