sugar products are seen at a supermarket in kiev ukraine april 7 2016 reutersgleb garanich kyiv aug 16 reuters  a third of ukraines refineries will not operate in the coming sugar production year due to war and high gas prices producers union ukrtsukor said on tuesday ukraine produced 5 million tonnes of beet sugar in soviet times but production fell to 1 million tonnes due to lower demand rising fuel prices and competition in export markets from cheaper cane sugar european gas prices have reached 2000 per 1000 cubic metres and this is the main reason why 10 of 32 sugar refineries will not start up when the new production year begins on sept 1 the union said fighting in the northern southern and eastern regions of ukraine has reduced the acreage planted with beets and other major crops and the grain harvest is expected to fall to about 50 million tonnes from a record 86 million in 2021 the agriculture ministry has said farmers sowed 180400 hectares to sugar beet this year allowing for the production of 108 million tonnes of sugar from 783 million tonnes of sugar beet ukraine produced around 13 million tonnes of beet sugar in 2021 ukraine will have in stock around 470000 tonnes at the start of 202223 sugar production season on sept 1 and this together with expected production will cover both local needs and exports the ministry said