With the start of the new sugar campaign, the Belgian sugar export starts firmly. Specialist Manuport Logistics expects higher transport figures than last year, thanks to favorable weather conditions and a smooth start of the beets.
During the previous season, Manuport Logistics (MPL) transported 28,599 containers, good for 719,000 tonnes of sugar. This keeps the company a key figure in international sugar logistics.
Belgium is one of the largest sugar exporters in the world, with West Africa and the Mediterranean as the main destinations. MPL transports sugar in bulk for more than 25 customers, from producers to traders, and processes most volumes via the port of Antwerp, home of the largest sugar terminal in Europe, operated by parent company Euroports.
In short, the prospects are positive, although experts point to risks such as low world market prices and new plant diseases. Worldwide, Czarnikow consultancy firm expects a sugar surplus of 7.4 million tonnes, which could possibly put pressure on exports. “If the low world market price persists, producers can decide to store sugar instead of exporting,” said Philippe Baeten (photo), Global Commercial Manager Sugar at Manuport Logistics.
