Belgium surprises with very high beet yields

According to the new Mars report, EU beet yields are expected to rise to an average of 74,8 tons per hectare this year. This is 2% above the five-year average, but 1% below last year's level.

The biggest outlier this year is in Belgium. According to the latest estimate, Belgian arable farmers can expect a beet harvest of 88,1 tons per hectare. This means our southern neighbors are achieving the highest yield in the European Union this year.

The yield in Belgium is 17% higher than last year's figure. In 2024, the result in Belgian beet cultivation remained below the EU average of 75,8 tons per hectare. This year's beet harvest is therefore expected to be much better, with yields that, according to the latest forecast, are also 6% above the five-year average.

We see a similar picture in the Netherlands. The Dutch beet harvest is estimated at 86,6 tons per hectare this year. This is 15% more than last year and 5% more than the five-year average. Following a reduction in the allocation by sugar producer Cosun Beet Company, the beet acreage in the Netherlands has decreased by 5% this year. On the other hand, sugar percentages at the start of the campaign are already very high compared to previous years.

Across the EU, the area under cultivation is expected to be around 7,5% lower this year, according to preliminary figures from the Eurostat statistics agency. As a result, the area is now just under 1,5 million hectares. Most beets are grown in Germany, where the crop is grown on just over 400.000 hectares (-6,5%). Yields are also disappointing.

The Mars report mentions an average harvest expectation in Germany of around 75 tons per hectare. That's 11% less than last year and also 4% less than the average over the past five years.

Germany barely reaches EU average
Germany is the only EU country where the harvest forecast is in the red. Most countries, such as France and Spain, are expecting an average harvest. Italy, with an expected yield of 68,1 tons, is expected to have a significantly higher yield (+19%) than usual. Moreover, Italians are growing more beets this year; the area is 9% larger, at approximately 25.720 hectares.   

As in the Netherlands and Belgium, the yield forecast in Poland is slightly above normal. JRC predicts a harvest of just under 70 tons per hectare. This is 10% higher than the average of 63,5 tons over the past five years.