AGRANA successfully concludes 2021|22 sugar beet processing campaign

AGRANA successfully concludes 2021|22 sugar beet processing campaign

• Sugar production volume amounts to around 850,000 tonnes (of which 455,000 tonnes in Austria)
• CEO Markus Mühleisen: "Beet revenues for farmers rise significantly"

Following the conclusion of beet processing at its Tulln site (Lower Austria) on 9 February, AGRANA has successfully completed the 2021|22 sugar beet campaign at all seven of its beet sugar processing plants in Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania.

Based on an average processing period of 112 days, 5.7 million tonnes (prior year: 4.8 million tonnes) of sugar beet were processed to make around 850,000 tonnes (prior year: 650,000 tonnes) of sugar. The average yield per hectare, based on a total planted area of 85,700 hectares, was around 67 tonnes, equivalent to five tonnes more than in the prior year.

In Austria, an area of around 37,850 hectares was harvested to produce 455,000 tonnes of sugar - including 16,000 tonnes of organic sugar - from approximately 3.0 million tonnes of sugar beet (prior year: 2.1 million tonnes). The average yield per hectare in Austria rose to 80 tonnes (prior year: 79 tonnes). The favourable weather conditions last year had a positive impact on sugar beet quality. A dry and warm June was followed by moderate temperatures and frequent rain. The mild September and dry October, accompanied by cooler night-time temperatures at the start of the harvesting season, led to a significant increase in the sugar content to 17.2% (prior year: 15.4%). The average sugar content in all AGRANA countries was also 17.2% (prior year: 15.1%).

AGRANA CEO Markus Mühleisen: "We are delighted about the excellent quality of the sugar beet and the positive development in terms of hectare yields. Our contract farmers also benefit from significantly higher sugar beet revenues. This is not only due to the higher sugar content but also a result of the increased market price and the higher minimum price for beet agreed with the beet farmers. In light of the favourable market forecast, we call upon all farmers who have not yet concluded contracts to take advantage of the option available until March and to commit their beet fields for sowing in spring."

About AGRANA
AGRANA converts agricultural raw materials into high-quality foods and numerous industrial intermediate products. Around 9,000 employees at 55 production facilities worldwide generate annual Group revenue of approximately € 2.5 billion. The Group was founded in 1988, is the global leader in fruit preparations and also a major producer of fruit juice concentrates in Europe as well as being a key manufacturer of customised potato, corn and wheat starch products as well as organic ethanol in its Starch segment. AGRANA is one of the leading sugar companies in Central and Eastern Europe.

This press release is available in German and English at www.agrana.com.

For queries, please contact
Markus Simak
Public Relations
+43 1 21137 12084
markus.simak@agrana.com