Cosun Beet Company estimates the average beet yield this growing season to be 79 tons per hectare. That is considerably lower than in recent years. In addition, the processing season starts earlier than last season.
The beet processor announced this last Wednesday. The beet yield of 79 tons per hectare is much lower than in recent years. Last season the yield finally amounted to 86,1 tons of beets per hectare. The 2022 harvest was much higher at 88 tons and the 2021 harvest was also higher than this season's forecast with a carrot yield of 82,2 tons per hectare.
Of course, the sugar content also says a lot. The processor said two weeks ago that they expect a sugar yield of 13,0 tons of sugar per hectare. This is approximately 6% lower than the five-year average. This also remains the case with the growth of the beet area.
Regarding the crop status, the beet processor indicates that the differences are very diverse both within and outside the same regions. "Great differences are often visible within plots as well, often caused by flooding and structural problems." In addition, the root system is not yet well developed and the beets root less deeply than in other years. The result is that the crop is more likely to suffer from moisture deficiency during a longer dry period. In addition, they explain that additional fertilization of nitrogen in late-sown plots mainly stimulates leaf growth and has a negative effect on the internal quality of the sugar beet, resulting in a lower sugar content.
Campaign duration 127 days
Based on the yield forecast, Cosun expects to need 127 days for the processing campaign. Both factories will start on Tuesday, September 17. The start date is therefore 3 days earlier than last year.