Comparison of guaranteed rates – who pays the most?
In Poland, the sugar beet purchasing market is dominated by several large corporations. Rates for contracted beets are negotiated with growers’ unions and announced in advance, giving farmers a guaranteed minimum price. The standard price refers to beet with a sugar content of 16% (known as polarisation).
Below is a summary of the guaranteed net rates for the 2025/2026 season (prices expressed in euros are the standard for settlement in the industry)*.
The Polish Food Group
Nordzucker Poland
Pfeifer & Langen
Südzucker Poland
Krajowa Grupa Spożywcza (KGS), which owns sugar factories in Nakło and Kruszwica, among others, is once again offering the highest minimum price on the market. However, it is worth noting that these prices are significantly lower than the historical rates from previous, very successful years, which is a direct response to the current situation on the European sugar market.
Key factors shaping the final price
For growers, the final remuneration consists of much more than just the guaranteed price:
- polarisation (sugar content). This is the most important quality factor. Beets with higher polarisation (e.g. above 16%) receive a premium and are sold at a higher price. Low polarisation (e.g. due to rainy weather) reduces processing efficiency and the real value of the raw material.
- Euro exchange rate, because the rate is set in euros, the final amount in zlotys depends on the exchange rate at the time of settlement.
- Surplus beet, i.e. beet delivered outside the contracted area, is paid at a lower rate (e.g. at KGS it is PLN 80 net per tonne).
- Additional benefits (bonuses): Companies often offer additional payments linked to the subsequent sale of sugar and logistics bonuses.
How to minimise losses and increase profitability
In conditions of tight margins, every percentage point of loss in weight or quality of raw material becomes critical to profitability. It is estimated that the cost of growing 1 hectare of beet is approximately PLN 7,000-8,000, which, with lower minimum prices, leaves little margin for profit. Logistics and storage become key elements of optimisation. Beets stored in piles are sensitive to weather conditions.
Therefore, covering beet piles is becoming increasingly important. The Amrum team provides precise protection with protective nonwovens that minimise losses, guaranteeing sugar factories stable and high-quality raw material, ready for processing in accordance with the sugar campaign schedule.
In the current market conditions, caring for the quality of raw materials and minimising storage losses is just as important as the purchase price itself.
Sources:
- AgroFakt: Cukrownie tną ceny buraków i kontraktacje. „Nie wpuszczać nowych plantatorów!”,
https://www.agrofakt.pl/cukrownie-tna-ceny-burakow-i-kontraktacje-nie-wpuszczac-nowych-plantatorow/ Top Agrar Polska: Kampania cukrownicza 2026/2027. Jaka cena w KGS za buraki cukrowe?,
https://www.topagrar.pl/articles/buraki-cukrowe/kampania-cukrownicza-2026-2027-jaka-cena-w-kgs-za-buraki-cukrowe-2551343Agroprofil: Ile kosztuje tona buraka cukrowego w 2025 roku?,
https://agroprofil.pl/wiadomosci/ceny/ile-kosztuje-tona-buraka-cukrowego-w-2025-roku/