USDA Europe Union bureau expects sugar output in the region rising to 20.1 million tonne in 2017-18 from 16.5 million tonne produced in 2016-17. The estimate is also higher than USDA’s official estimate of 18.6 million tonne. USDA’s EU bureau has also estimated exports from the region higher on year at 2.5 million tonne. The expectations of a rise in sugar production in EU and export quantities can be attributed to the abolition of output quota in September.