OREANDA-NEWS. Belarus exported USD 310.93 million worth of sugar in January-December 2013, up 6.5% year on year, while in physical terms sugar exports grew 24.4% to 561,100 tonnes, a source in the profile ministry told.

The increase in sugar exports reflects a rise in the physical volume of exports, while sugar prices were on the decline. The average export price of Belarus' sugar stood at USD 619.88 per tonne in Jan-Dec 2013 to compare with USD 646.94 per tonne in Jan-Dec 2012.

There are four sugar plants in Belarus (based Gorodeya, Zhabinka, Skidel, Slootsk), which process 28,000 tonnes of sugar beet a day. The sugar capacity of Belarus' home market totals 350,000 tonnes, while the rest is exported to foreign states, mostly Russia and Ukraine. Belarus is currently looking for an investor to build a fifth sugar plant in Mogilev Region.

Belarus is expected to produce 720,000 tonnes of white sugar in 2015.