KIEV, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine's Agriculture Ministry said Monday that the country is seeking export opportunities for its beet sugar at bilateral talks with some Asian countries.

"The Agriculture Ministry often negotiates with representatives of other countries to find markets for Ukraine's sugar," Deputy Director of the Food Department Alexander Pechenoga said at a press conference here.

"First of all, we are searching partners in Asia, where sugar consumption increases around 2.5 percent annually."

Pechenoga said Ukraine has provided the world market with 12,000 tons of sweetener since March 1, and Georgia, Lebanon, Kazakhstan, Syria, Slovakia, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan were the main consumer countries.

Ukraine's sugar is competitive in foreign markets because of good quality and relatively lower price, he added.

Ukraine produced around 2.33 million tons of beet sugar last year, and is expected to produce 2 million tons this year due to reduction in planted acreage, the official said.

Source: Xinhua