The price of sugar is soaring, it has tripled in 5 years, and has increased by 20% since the spring.
Five years ago, thea ton of sugar was sold between 200 and 300 euros. Today we are at more than 700 euros. 1.50 euros per kilo is not negligible for the most deprived households. Why such a leap, and what are the consequences for professionals? Some may remember the film by Jacques Rouffio, with Jean Carmet and Gérard Depardieu, Sugarwhich told how crooks took advantage of a speculative bubble on this product to ruin small savers.
The causes, today, are unfortunately more down to earth, according to starred chef Thierry Marx: “Beyond the risks of speculation, which can always exist in the background, there is also the ban on beet growers using a heavy chemical product to treat their soils and therefore production has decreased. other producers prefer to turn to the manufacture of ethanol. Therefore, we are obliged to buy sugar abroad.”
Limit the amount of sugar
Climatic conditions are another cause of production declines, particularly in India where drought leads the authorities to prevent all exports. In Brazil, it was floods that destroyed the sugar cane fields, but this country represents 50% of the world market. The impact is therefore enormous, the markets panic and labels fly away.
Thierry Marx notes that professionals, particularly in pastry making, are increasingly limiting the amount of sugar in their creations. “Even if sugar is not necessarily good for health, we cannot completely do without it, adds the chef. But you can look for something else: date sugar, coconut sugar, natural fruit sugar. It’s about getting rid of the overly sweet taste that we find in food, particularly ultra-processed products.”