News Sugar beets
Beet harvest skinned by a hair
Almost all sugar beets in the Netherlands have been harvested. 2% was still in the ground at the start of week 1, estimates Suiker Unie. It is about 1.600 hectares. This means that the harvesting progress is approximately equal to the 2017 harvest.
A figure of 2% means, of the total area of 79.210 hectares, that 1.584 hectares are still in the ground. Most beets still have to be harvested in North and South Holland. This is about 5% of the total. In West Brabant, 4% of the beets are still in the ground. On the Zeeland islands this is 3%. The Flevopolder and northern valley and peat soils are ready.
Harvest a little later
At the start of the year, the 2018 beet harvest was almost finished. The 2017 harvest dragged on for longer. Until the end of January, sugar beets were still being harvested. In week 1 of 2018, 2% was also in the ground. However, this corresponded to a larger acreage, which meant that it was 1.700 hectares. Even then it was wet. Suiker Unie estimates that the last beets will be harvested next week.
Low sugar content
The tare percentage is high. In the 16e campaign week, this averages out at 13,2%. The sugar content remains stable at 16,2% and 1,2% below last year. The campaign average is now at 16,34%. The sugar factory in Groningen is expected to process the last beets on 14 January. Dinteloord will follow on January 17. The lifting of chicory roots has not yet been completed.
Niels van der Boom
© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.