News Sugar beets
Angry beet farmers take to the streets
German sugar beet growers have taken to the streets to draw attention to their situation. They see a gloomy outlook for beet cultivation in the country and hope to attract the attention of politicians.
Sugar beet growers took to the streets in the southern German city of Heilbronn on Friday 1 February. In doing so, they hoped to attract the attention of politicians in Berlin. The growers speak of a crisis in beet cultivation and it would even threaten their existence.
Sudzucker
The leader of the demonstrators was Joachim Rukwied, the chairman of the Deutschen Bauernverbandes (DBV). In short, this is the German counterpart of Jaap van Wenum. The drop that made the camel overflow, according to Rukwied news that Südzucker presented last week. They want to make major cuts in sugar production, and therefore in acreage.
Since the abolition of the sugar quota, the worldwide sugar price has plummeted. Rukwied fears (like his colleagues) that Germany will import cheaper sugar from other Member States as a result. This will be at the expense of German beet cultivation, which is already having a hard time after the extreme growing season of 2018.
Production further reduced
According to an spokesman van Südzucker, the group continues to contract beets in Germany with their members around the factory. The growing regions that are further away must be the first to return to production. However, it cannot be ruled out that the factory in Offenau (Heilbronn) will also be brought back into production.
In addition to the news from Südzucker, it was also announced on Monday 4 February that the country will definitely not receive an exemption for coated seed that has been treated with neonicotinoids. Belgium does have this exemption, just like 6 other Member States. France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom also do not have an exemption.
Niels van der Boom
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