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Suedzucker sees drop in revenues on high costs, low prices

Europe's biggest sugar manufacturer Suedzucker expects lower yearly earnings largely since of high production expenses and weak sugar rates, it stated on Thursday.

The German business affirmed a forecast made on April 15 that its fiscal 2024/25 group operating revenue would fall to between 500 million and 600 million euros ($ 544 million to $652 million). from 950 million in the year that ended in February.

The operating lead to its core sugar segment is expected. to be between 200 million and 300 million euros, below 558. million, it stated.

For the 2024 (production) project, we expect a decline in. production costs, the company said. Nevertheless, the expected. decline in sugar costs usually over the is. likely to have an unfavorable impact on the result.

Sugar futures hit 18-month lows on Tuesday on expectations. of high sugar harvests in Brazil.

CEO Niels Poerksen informed after an online press. conference that the world 2023/24 season sugar market was. expected to have a larger supply surplus than the previous. season, with production boosts expected in Brazil and the EU. This might deteriorate prices.

However, the pressure from increasing sugar production expenses was. expected to lower.

EU sugar demand remains stable overall, he added.

Suedzucker's bioethanol sector deals with difficulties from low. ethanol prices regardless of strong need, partially because of. continued imports to the EU.

The continuous war in Ukraine continues to exacerbate the. already high volatility on the sales and procurement markets,. Suedzucker said. The future effect of the unfavorable influences. originating from the EU's prolonged duty-free gain access to for. agricultural imports from Ukraine, which is now limited in terms. of volume, remains unpredictable.

The implications of the war that broke out in the Middle. East last October are likewise difficult to examine..

(source: Reuters)