During 2018 the weather conditions had been radically different from the ideal ones recorded in 2017. In detail: the delays in the sowing phase caused by the abundant spring rains and the following drought in the summer months, led the European beet industry into a downward spiral. As a consequence, the total sugar output was just over 18 million tonnes, about 3 million less than the prior campaign.
Domestic prices, which collapsed to historic lows following the activation of the quota-free production, reversed their trend by recording increases in Europe, bringing the market price above the $400/ton threshold.