US cattle numbers are at the highest level since 2008, reaching 102.6m head. However, a lower number of replacement heifers suggests a slowdown in growth of the national herd in 2018. In terms of production, beef output is forecast to rise 6% for the full year 2017 compared with 2016 with a more modest 2% rise anticipated in 2018.

EU sugar production is set to rise 20% to 20.1m tonnes for the 2017-18 season. This will turn the EU into a net exporter of 1.3m tonnes, compared with net imports of 1.5m tonnes for this season. There has been a 15% surge in beet sowings this year in the EU.

Russia is to apply full customs duties on beef imported from Brazil and Paraguay, which enjoyed 75% lower import duties than normal up to now. This is in order to get the price of importers in line with the price of domestic producers. Russia imported 230,000t of beef in 2016, with 90% coming from Brazil and Paraguay.

Switzerland now has the highest meat prices in the world, according to a new survey by Caterwings Meat Price Index. It found that meat prices are 141% above the global average, where a kilo of beef tenderloin costs €54.