News Sugar beets
Sugar beet area compensates yield
The total yield of sugar beet in the Netherlands this year is higher than in 2019. This is not due to a better harvest, but simply to an increased acreage. This is apparent from the preliminary revenue estimate of Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
Preliminary figures from Statistics Netherlands – which were published on Thursday 29 October – show that the sugar beet yield this year will be 100.000 tons above last year. The total harvest is good for 6,7 million tons of beets, or 1,6% more. In 2017, 8 million tons of beets were harvested. An all time record. In the following 3 years, the yield is significantly lower. Mainly due to the effects of widespread drought.
More hectares, less beets
According to Statistics Netherlands, this gross yield comes from 81.450 hectares of sugar beet, which means that the average gross yield is 82,9 tons per hectare. This is a decrease of 1,2% compared to last year. Last year the yield was 83,9 tons and in 2017 even 93,3 tons. The fact that the total yield is going up is due to the cultivated area, which has increased by 2.270 hectares this year.
The figures have been compiled by Delphy advisers on behalf of Statistics Netherlands and combined with the area figures published in June. The definitive revenue figures will be published by Statistics Netherlands in January 2021. This is based on a survey conducted among nearly 5.000 growers.
Cosun is counting on more
Cosun Beet Company itself uses a carrot yield of 83,7 tons for this campaign and an average sugar percentage of 16,25%. This yields 13,6 tons of sugar per hectare. In the fourth campaign week, the average sugar content was 15,9%, which continues to be disappointing. The tare percentage is stable at 11,6%. Incidentally, a declining trend in beet and sugar yields is visible throughout Europe, CBS notes.
In terms of acreage, Cosun also calculates with (considerably) more beets. Based on the allocation for this year, the acreage amounts to about 85.000 hectares. It would mean that growers actually sowed significantly less than their 105% allotment. Based on data from the Combined Statement – on which Statistics Netherlands also bases itself – Boerenbunder.nl on 81.278 hectares of sugar beets. They mainly grow in Groningen (17%), Drenthe (15%) and Zeeland (15%).
Niels van der Boom
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