The Sugar Producers Union of Moldova (SPUM) pleads for raising the subsidies offered to producers of sugar beet by the state. According to SPUM, the direct losses in sugar beet production caused by this year’s drought are estimated to reach 200 million lei. As a result, about 60% of farmers growing sugar beet will end the year in losses. The SPUM leaders consider that the created situation requires a modified method for paying the subsidies, in order to make the payments unconditioned on the harvest level. Moreover, SPUM asks for a raise in subsidies for the next season, suggesting a sum of 2000 lei for each planted hectare. This year the harvest of sugar beet is expected to be twice lower than last year. An average of 20-24 tonnes per hectare will be harvested, reaching a total crop of 600-660 thousand tonnes. Sugar content of beet this year is expected to stand at 14.4%-16%, in contrast to last year’s 17% at an average yield of 34 tonnes per ha. Experts say the total amount of sugar processed from the beet will not exceed 12.5% of the raw material, with total production to reach 80,000 tonnes. Last year, producers obtained 149,000 tonnes of sugar, of which 90,000 tonnes were sold in the domestic market.