At the beginning of this week, there were still just under 10.000 hectares of sugar beets in the ground, according to beet processor Cosun. This is a quantity in line with the average for this time of year.
Nationally, that 10.000 hectares represents approximately 12% of the total beet acreage that was still to be harvested at the beginning of this week. Cosun reminds its growers that sugar beet growth is virtually nonexistent around this time of year. The processor emphasizes that the risks of poor harvest conditions and frost outweigh any potential yield gains.
Although the risk of frost problems currently seems unlikely, Cosun explicitly refers to the regular delivery terms. The sugar market is under considerable pressure, and therefore it is not expected that a separate frost regulation will be introduced as in some previous years.
Campaign progress
Cosun has again slightly revised its yield forecast upwards. The beet processor now expects 15,7 tons of sugar per hectare, based on approximately 92 tons of beets per hectare with a sugar content of 17,1%.
Last week, the national sugar percentage reached 17,0%. High levels of around 18% are still being measured in the southwest, but in the rest of the country, the sugar percentage is clearly decreasing. In many areas, sugar percentages have now dropped below 17%.
The fact that the campaign is taking place later in the year is also clearly reflected in the average tare percentage. Nationally, this was 11% last week. The clay soils on Voorne-Putten, in particular, were negative, with the highest average of 16,1%. In most clay areas, the tare percentage is now above 10%, while sandy soils generally remain below 10%.