Voluntary Report - public distribution

**Date:** 3/30/2004

**GAIN Report Number:** AU4012

AU4012

**Austria**

**Sugar**

**Annual**

**2004**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Sarah Hanson

U.S. Embassy

**Prepared by:**

Dr. Roswitha Krautgartner

**Report Highlights:**

In 2003, sugar beet acreage amounted to 43,267 ha (106,915 acres), a
decrease of 1,197 ha (2,958 acres) compared to the previous year. The
sugar beet harvest amounted to 2.54 million MT. Yields amounted to 587
MT per ha and were under average. However, sugar content was higher than
the previous year, and 415,000 MT of sugar was extracted. Austria is net
exporter of sugar. Total imports of sugar to Austria rose from 29,000 MT
in 2001/2002 to 41,000 MT in 2002/2003. Major import countries include
Yugoslavia, Croatia, Italy and Germany. Austrian sugar exports also
increased in 2002/2003 and accounted for 129,000 MT (2001/2002: 126,000
MT). Major export countries include Croatia, Romania, Italy, Bosnia
Herzegovina and Macedonia.

Includes PSD Changes: Yes

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Unscheduled Report

Vienna \[AU1\]

\[AU\]

# Production

Austria's planting areas of sugar beets are located in the eastern parts
of the country. Almost 75 % of the total production can be found in the
province of Lower Austria, followed by Upper Austria (14 %) and
Burgenland (11 %). In 2003 sugar beet acreage amounted to 43,267 ha
(106,915 acres). This amounted to a decrease of 1,197 ha (2,958 acres)
compared to the previous year. Sugar beet harvest yielded to 2.54
million MT in 2003. Compared to 2002 total yields declined by 16.6 %.
Sugar beet yields per ha were under the average and amounted to 587 MT
per ha (238 MT per acre) in 2003. Planting conditions in 2003 were
difficult (frost and wind erosion) and summer's drought reduced the per
hectare yield but increased beet's sugar content.

The beet's sugar content was higher in 2003 than the year before and
permitted the extraction of 415,000 MT of sugar in total. The per
hectare sugar yield lay close to the long-term average at approximately
9.5 MT.

Sugar production for the marketing year 2004/05 is expected to rise
slightly because of around same production area but higher yields per
hectare.

# Consumption

Human domestic consumption accounted for 313 thousand MT. Austrians
consume 39 kg sugar per capita a year on an average.

# Trade

Austria's EU sugar quota for 2003/2004 has been set at 381,550 MT
(2002/2003: 364,200 MT). The variable quota cut has turned out to be
substantially smaller than in 2002/2003 because production of a number
of countries (e.g. Italy, Greece, Spain) was substantially below quota
as a result of the dry weather conditions.

Austria is net exporter on sugar and the degree of self-sufficiency on
sugar amounts to 139 %.

Total imports of sugar to Austria rose from 29,000 MT in 2001/2002 to
41,000 MT in 2002/2003. Major import countries are Yugoslavia, Croatia,
Italy and Germany. Austrian sugar exports also increased in 2002/2003
and accounted for 129,000 MT (2001/2002: 126,000 MT). Major export
countries are Croatia, Romania, Italy, Bosnia Herzegovina and Macedonia.

# Sugar Industry

In the past the Austrian sugar industry used to be made up of numerous
separate companies. In 1988 those companies merged to form the "AGRANA
Zucker-Ges.m.b.H.". In 1999 "AGRANA Zucker-Ges.m.b.H." (sugar industry)
merged with "AGRANA Staerke-Ges.m.b.H." (starch industry) and the
company created by the merger was transformed into a stock corporation
called "AGRANA Zucker und Staerke Aktiengesellschaft". Three sugar
factories in Austria belong to the AGRANA's corporation. During the two
and a half months beet campaign in autumn, those three factories process
400 to 450 thousand MT of sugar.

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