Südzucker, Europe's largest sugar refiner, raised its forecast of operating profits in its current financial year as environmental concerns have boosted demand for biofuel ethanol enough to partially offset weakness in the sugar sector that is slumping due to a global glut of the sweetener.
“We are seeing robust demand for bioethanol in several European countries,” a Südzucker spokesman said. “In the current debate about protecting the climate, the message is getting through that bioethanol is a good method of reducing CO2 and dust emissions in cities.”
“We are hopeful this trend will continue. The sugar outlook is improved slightly but unfortunately the overall sugar market remains depressed."
The company now expects group 2019/20 operating profits to reach €50 million to €130 million ($55.50-$144.3 million) against its previous forecast of zero to €100 million and €27 million operating profit in the previous year.
The main improvement will come from its CropEnergies bioethanol unit, now expected to achieve operating profit of €70 - €90 million, up from its previous forecast of €50 - €75 million.
Core Sugar Sector
Südzucker now estimates its core sugar sector will post an operating loss of €200 - €260 million against its previous forecast of a loss of €200 - €300 million.
“We have taken measures on cost reduction (in the sugar sector) while we are seeing a moderate improvement in sugar spot market prices in Europe which is being reflected in new contracts we are signing,” the spokesman added.
Europe’s sugar producers are still suffering from the double blow of low sugar prices and European Union market liberalisation that has exposed them to depressed world markets.
'A Significantly Negative Impact'
Südzucker also warned it would see 'a significantly negative impact' from business development of British commodity trading company ED&F Man Holdings in which Suedzucker has a shareholding of about 35%.
Südzucker on 10 October also posted a fall in earnings as sugar prices remained depressed. Germany's second largest sugar refiner Nordzucker on Friday also posted a pre-tax loss of €12 million in the first half of its 2019/20 fiscal year.
The European Union liberalised its sugar market in 2017, ending its system of guaranteed minimum prices and protected production quotas. That gave European producers more freedom to expand and export but left them exposed to collapsing world prices.
News by Reuters, edited by ESM. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
