News Sugar beets
Cosun backs down on beet tourism
In addition to the malaise on the sugar market, and the consequent low beet price, the subject of 'beet tourism' has been much discussed in recent months. Cosun's board of directors has re-evaluated the scheme and adjusted it in detail.
For years, so-called 'beet tourism' was a gray area for many growers that was turned a blind eye. That is why it was finally decided to clarity to create. It was officially allowed, but only when the grower had sufficiently sown. For this purpose, the yield over the past 5 years was looked at.
Allocation expanded
During the cultivation meetings, it turned out that not everyone was satisfied with the official approval. Cosun determines whether a tourism grower has not sowed too sharply. That is, too little. To determine the minimum acreage per grower, an allocation of 95% is now used, and not 100%, as is ultimately the case. Some space will also be retained in the coming years, so writes secretary Jan Willem van Roessel in the Cosun members' magazine.
Another detail that Cosun is adjusting can be found in the member portal. Here you can see the minimum area to sow per company. This must be met to buy beets. The Members' Council is divided about the changes, but in the end a majority approved. It was noted, however, that partnerships between growers should not be endangered. If a colleague sows part of the acreage, this must be stated in the acreage statement.
Abuses from the past
The board of directors will continue to try to rectify wrongs from the past. For example, there are growers who in the past bought a lot of beets and therefore wrongly recorded a very high yield. In order to comply with the allocation, they must structurally make additional purchases and that is not allowed.
More sound was heard during the growers' meetings criticism† It is often only after harvesting that it becomes clear that the yield is disappointing. In that case, it is not possible to purchase additional loads, because this must be declared early. The cooperative is against this, because the freight is not traceable in such a situation. The question is therefore whether this adjustment will remove all the cold from the air.
Dozens of fines
Cosun previously announced that 2018 growers had sowed too few beets in 365. A fine was threatened, which was eventually distributed to 11 companies. They could not give a clear argument for sowing too little.
The beet processor is disappointed that neonicotinoids are no longer allowed in the seed coating, while Belgian growers can apply for an exemption. Despite the fact that Suiker Unie will process Belgian border beets from Iscal Sugar in Dinteloord, chairman Dirk de Lugt emphasizes that beets grown from seed with neonics are not processed.
Niels van der Boom
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