Current state of world sugar market is characterized by economically advanced nations’ policy of self-provision with this product.

An important role in solving the problem of self-provision of a country belongs to beet and sugar subcomplex which consists of a set of branches:

• sugar beet production ,
• storage and processing of beet and cane sugar,
• marketing of the end-product (sugar)
• service branches

Sugar subcomplex includes beet growing and sugar beet processing.
Sugar beet remains one of the most productive crops and has paramount value for the economy. Development of its production is not only one of the conditions of the provision of food safety of the country, but also a guarantee of workplaces, income of those, who are occupied in beet growing, the significant factor of increase of agriculture, a large source of valuable fodder resources for animal industry. The state program of revival and development of rural areas for 2005-2010 envisages the increase of the areas under sugar beet up to 80-85 thousand hectares and total harvest of root crops up to 3, 8 million tones.
Productivity of sugar beet in 2004 was 368 centners per hectare, and total harvest - 3088 thousand tonеs on the area of 79 thousand hectares (see table 1).

Table 1: Dynamics of indexes of sugar beet yield and gross output in 2000-2004.

Regional place of sugar beet is formed under the influence of a complex of factors, main of which are the following:

• Presence in an area of beet growing capacities in processing the crop;
• ·Suitable soil, natural and climate condition, which can be used for beet growing;
• ·Availability of labour, financial and technical resources;
• · Efficiency of cultivation of sugar beet in comparison with other crops

.

Regional placement of sugar beet is defined by a set of factors. Main factors are:

• Processing capacity in a beet growing area;
• Soil, natural and climate conditions suitable for beet growing;
• Availability of labour, financial and technical resources;
• Comparative efficiency of sugar beet cultivation (in comparison with other crops)

In Belarus sugar beet crops are concentrated basically in Brest, Minsk and Grodno regions, where nearly 2,7-3 million tone of roots are produced. 450-500 agricultural enterprises are engaged in cultivation of this crop.

There are four sugar enterprises in the republic:

• Skidziel factory(opened in 1951)
• Haradzieja factory (1959)
• Žabinka factory (1963)
• Słuck factory (1965)

They fully satisfy Belarusian domestic market demand for sugar.

About 40 % of sugar is made from domestic raw material. Part of it is made from imported cane sugar from Cuba and Brazil. Raw areas don’t have clear boundaries.

Beet growing farms of Gomel region are a raw-beet supply area for Skidziel factory and grow more raw material, than this factory can process; therefore this area provides Haradzieja factory and Słuck factory with beet as well. Sometimes, raw material is transported even to Žabinka factory.

Beet growing farms of Brest region provide raw beet for Žabinka factory. However, beet is being cultivated in different areas and it makes the whole system ineffective.

Beet growing farms of Minsk region form raw-beet supply areas for Słuck factory and Haradzieja factory and are not able to provide them with enough raw beet because of low beet-productivity and raw areas imperfection. Therefore they take up to 200 thousand tons of roots from Skidziel and Žabinka factories raw areas annually.

Sullpy areas of all sugar factories need to optimize transportation routes — as long distance transportation causes raw material loss. That’s why it is necessary to create compact raw areas.

A compact raw area of a sugar factory is a set of beet growing enterprises located on a certain territory witin an optimum range (50 kms.), providing a high level of concentration of beet crops (8-10 %) and producing it in the quantities necessary for the full operation of available capacities.

Production of beet is promising under the conditions of further perfection, preservation of positive tendencies of development, increase of industrial potential.

Sources and references:

1. Ильина З.М. Рынок продуктов и сельскохозяйственного сырья.- Мн.: институт аграрной экономики НАН Беларуси, 2004.- 320с.;
2. Лещиловский П.В., Догиль Л.Ф., Тонкович В.С. Экономика предприятий и отраслей АПК: учебник.- Мн.: БГЭУ, 2001.- 575с.;
3. Чернушко В., Шведов О. Лидер сахарной индустрии. Народная газета, 13 сентября 2005г.;
4. Татур И.С. Сахар из собственного сырья. Белорусское сельское хозяйство, №12, 2003;
5. Татур И.С. Стояние и возможности развития производства сахарной свеклы в Республике Беларусь. Известия Национальной академии наук Беларуси. Серия аграрных наук, №2, 2004;
6. Павлюкевич И. Анализ развития свеклосахарного подкомплекса Беларуси. Агроэкономика, №4, 2004.