Nordzucker_GB 03-04_E_.pd 1 - Nordzucker AG

Foreword
World sugar production and share of sugar traded
on the world market (in m. tonnes raw sugar values)
150
100
World market exports based on origin
(in m. tonnes raw sugar values)
30
20
10
50
Beet and cane sugar production
(worldwide in m. tonnes raw sugar values)
0
350
250
0
1994 1996
150.
0
1985
Beet sugar
39
1990
2002
1995 2000 2002
World market prices for sugar 1994 – 2004
Cane sugar
103
World sugar
production
Of which,
sugar
traded on
world
market
1998 2000 2002
Sugar traded on the
world market
Austraia
Thailand
Brazil
EU
White Sugar G/t fob
White Sugar $/t fob
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
from a liberalised world trade would
suffer similar market irritations, and the
ACP and LDC countries soon started to
call for “adequate EU sugar prices”. By
March 2004 at the latest all sides saw
that it would be difficult to implement
the price markdown option favoured by
the Commission. Now, the option “quotas
for all” is up for discussion. Although
mentioned in the original Commission
paper, the Commission itself had not
given serious thought to this option up
to that point.
However, it soon turned out that the
option “quotas for all at acceptable
prices” has aroused the lasciviousness of
all players in the world sugar market.
ACP, LDC, Mercosur, the producers of
isoglucose, as well as Balkan countries are
trying either to maintain or expand their
quotas. Furthermore, Brazil, Thailand and
Australia, who as the largest producers of
surplus sugar are not entitled to any quotas,
have brought an action before the
WTO expressing doubt on the compatibility
of European re-exports of ACP sugar
and C-sugar exports with the principles
of the WTO.
It is as yet difficult to foresee the outcome
of these discussions. The risk that
“region-wide quota concessions to all”
may herald the end of sugar beet cultivation
in Europe is clearly evident for everyone.
However, this is something nobody
– not even the most adamant critics of
the market regulations – really wants.
Sources: White Sugar Exchange, London; International Sugar Organisation (ISO)
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