The European Union last week announced plans for a radical overhaul
of the EU sugar regime, a resolution that is likely to bring about
both applause and criticism from its New Member States in Central
Europe.
Long-awaited changes to Europe's heavily subsidised sugar regime
are on the way after the European Commission tabled a new set of
rules that could lead to cheaper sugar ingredients, writes
Lindsey Partos.
Cheaper sugar ingredients could be on the way for food makers as
rumours continue to circulate about the proposed new rules to the
EU sugar regime that could open up the protected European market,
prompting Danish sugar giant Danisco...
Cheaper sugar ingredients could be on the way for food makers in
Europe as draft plans for tough changes to the much criticised
sugar regime come to light.
Tate & Lyle, the British sugar and starches group, is to expand
production of the sweetener sucralose at its plant in the US to
meet increased demand for its Splenda brand.
Top ingredients supplier Danisco will phase out its activities in
oil and protein crops in order to focus on sugar beet seed, said
the Danish firm this week, in a move reflecting changes to the
European sugar regime in 2006 that will...
Malaysian palm oil producers are anticipating a big step up in
demand after US food giant Kraft confirmed that it had plans to use
more palm oil in processed foods for the US market.
Earlier this month CAOBISCO, the body which represents European
manufacturers of sugar-based foods, came racing to side of the
businesses it represents in the accession countries. Once installed
in an enlarged Europe, the new Member...
Manufacturers of sports supplements may need to reduce sugar levels
in certain products as new research from Japan shows that
preference for sweetness decreases after exercise.
Sugar prices look set to rise in the accession countries by up to
60 per cent, warns the European chocolate and confectionery body
CAOBISCO this week, predicting major set backs for food
manufacturers installed in the zone. The warning...
Romanian sugar producers say they are facing possible collapse
because of suffocating sugar quotas which have been in place for
the last five years, in the run up to accession.
Scientists in the US are well on the way to developing sugar beets
with improved seedling vigour, higher sugar content, and enhanced
disease resistance.
Russian white sugar production from imported raw beet is reported
to be down by 23 per cent for the start of the year, as the sector
struggles against diminished supplies of raw materials and high
stocks of unsold processed sugar....
'It is incorrect to focus on any specific food or ingredient in
attempting to address obesity,' cautions the US food industry, in
the face of mounting criticism that sugar intake plays a key role
in today's overweight...
On the cusp of reform to the EU's heavily supported sugar regime,
some of the world's poorest sugar exporting countries have called
on Europe 'to put fairness at the heart of the new regime'.
With the Commission proposal for changes to the EU sugar regime but
a few months away, Commissioner Franz Fischler explains why sugar
reform is 'unavoidable.'
The Russian sugar industry has suffered under the weight of poor
logistics, erratic raw supplies and a lack of financing. We spoke
to a leading industry analysts to find out how the industry is
facing up to these challenges and what...
Plant closures and 'competitive pressures?saw profits slide for US
sugar giant Imperial Sugar despite a rise in operating income for
the first quarter. Global sugar surplus keeps the prices down and
competition up.
German sugar giant Suedzucker willl break ground on a new plant to
produce bioethanol fuel from wheat at Zeitz in East Germany.
Earmarked for completion by 2005, the plant will operate in
conjunction with the local sugar factory.
A large proportion of Russian sugar processors have experienced
recession over the last year - so says a survey of leading industry
figures. However, the abolition of import taxes on imported raw
sugar might make things easier in...
With the failure of WTO talks in Cancun last year, pressure has
intensified on Europe's heavily subsidied sugar regime - trading at
three times the world price- to change. While critics want to see a
fairer regime with Europe...
Cukrovary TTD, which is currently controlled by French company
Societe Anonyme Sucriere do Berneuil sur Aisne and Germany's
Nordzucker, has announced the closure of its sugar refinery in
Melnik, Czech Republic.
British Sugar's parent company, cash-rich Associated British Foods
(ABF), delivered a strong set of results for the year with the food
and agriculture division pulling in the highest operating profit
for the full year for the...
The Nordic region's leading confectionery maker, Cloetta Fazer, has
said that it expects the price of cocoa beans, a key raw material
for many of its products, to remain stable for the rest of this
year.
German confectionery and bakery producers have strongly criticised
the current EU system designed to keep sugar prices artificially
high, arguing that it makes European companies uncompetitive when
it comes to exports.
The Ghana Cocoa Board (GCB) has secured a US$650 million loan to
purchase cocoa for the 2003/2004 cocoa season. The
facility,repayable within a year, was arranged by four leading
banks.
Imminent reforms to the EU sugar regime could slice millions off
the sugar profits for Associated British Foods (ABF), the owner of
British Sugar, and Danisco.
US department of agriculture sugar-market economist John Love has
predicted that producer prices for sugar for 2002/03 will be 5 per
cent higher than last year's.
British Sugar and the NFU have agreed the provisional factory
opening dates for this year's sugar harvest. Newark factory will
open on 12 September with the remaining five factories opening on
16 September.
Replacing dietary fat with a higher intake of carbohydrates,
including sugar, can have a positive effect on weight control in
overweight individuals, according to a study sponsored by the
European Commission and EU sugar industries...
A federal government bail-out of the Australian sugar industry was
under threat on Tuesday after business and opposition groups, in
particular food manufacturers, objected to a three cent a kilogram
levy to fund the $120 million plan...
