In 2024/25, EU sugar beet area is forecast to grow to 1 495 thousand ha (+2% year-on-year), thanks to favourable markets conditions and despite delayed sowing due to wet soils. Sugar beet yields are also expected to be like the ongoing season at 75.7 t/ha, although there is an increased risk of damage from aphids and yellowing disease in some EU countries. As a result, sugar beet production is forecast at 113 million t (+2.3 million t year-on-year). EU human consumption of sugar is expected to slightly increase in 2023/24, rebounding from a sharp drop experienced in the previous season when increasing prices had a negative impact on consumer demand. Additionally, demand of processed products containing sugar is also expected to decline. Sugar use for bioethanol production in 2023/24 is expected to increase to 0.8 million t, thanks to increased availability. Demand for sugar in other industrial applications is expected to be stable at 1.1 million t. Nevertheless, sugar use is expected grow slightly less than sugar availability. 2023/24 EU sugar ending stocks are therefore forecast to increase by 0.2 million to 2.3 million t.