Long-term analysis of sugar markets
How do sugar prices develop? Which countries are the largest sugar producers? How much sugar do we consume? What factors influence the sugar market? These and other questions are regularly analyzed by the Thuenen-Institute.
The global sugar market is one of the most regulated agricultural markets. Many countries protect their sugar producers against foreign competitors by applying high import tariffs. At the same time these countries support domestic sugar production by subsidies, minimum prices and production quotas. But as all other agricultural markets the sugar market is being increasingly liberalized. The number of trade agreements which guarantee free market access between trading partners is increasing continuously and more and more countries reduce their domestic support policies. One example is the European Union which has recently abolished its production quota system. With the reduction of policy support measures market forces become more important. Simultaneously, sugar consumption is being increasingly discussed in the public. In the last years, scientists and politicians are intensively discussing measures to reduce sugar intake. Worldwide many countries have already introduced taxes on heavily sugary products.
Against this background the aim of the project is to build up a comprehensive database and to develop a basic understanding of the fundamental market interrelationships and long-term trends on the sugar market. Based on this information, we generate long-term market projections and assess the impact of policy measures.
Scientists, policymakers, producer and consumer organizations, business representatives, journalists.
Our analysis is based on a continuous monitoring of the sugar market. We collect long-term data series of the development of sugar prices and quantities as well as other dimensions, such as tariff rates. The results of our analysis are published in scientific journals, working papers and in specialized press. Moreover, results are presented at conferences and seminars and discussed with representatives from science, business and politics.
For our analysis we use international and national statistics as well as market reports. Data from different sources are collected and merged into one data pool. This data pool is analyzed by descriptive statistics. Moreover, we use the collected data to build up and maintain the databases of our market models.
We answer various research questions as for example:
Every year, the Thuenen-Institute publishes an overview article on the current situation of the global and EU sugar market (Haß 2018).. The paper contains for example TOP-10-lists of the largest sugar producers, consumers, exporters and importers as well as figures showing the development of EU and world markets prices. Moreover, the Thuenen-Institute publishes every two years a long-term projection of the development of the German agricultural market (Thuenen-Baseline) and the institute is also involved in the generation of agricultural market projections published every year by the European Commission. Furthermore, the economic consequences of the abolition of the EU production quota system for sugar and isoglucose have been analyzed in a project.
Within the framework of a project the Thuenen-Institute has analyzed the economic consequences of the abolition of the EU sugar quota system:
You can find up-to-date information about the sugar market under the following links:
Germany:
European Union:
World:
Besides the sugar market following markets are monitored and analyzed by the Thuenen-Institute:
Permanent task 6.2017 - 1.2030
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