Will the sugar beet acreage decrease?

Historically low European sugar prices, a lower payout price and the expectation that the payout price will fall further. Three ingredients that make beet growers think.

For the 2018 harvest, growers will receive a minimum price of €32,50 per tonne of beet paid by Suiker Unie. Expectations for the sugar price, however, remain negative due to a significant oversupply since the abolition of the quota.

Sugar production must fall
Sugar production must therefore decrease. The sugar producers are already working on this. For example, Cosun is reducing the allocation for the 2019 harvest and other sugar producers in Europe are also reducing the area.

Several growers abroad are stopping beet cultivation because the beet price there will probably drop below €20 per ton next year. But what do Dutch growers do?

Anne-Jan Doorn

Anne Jan Doorn is an arable expert at Boerenbusiness. He writes about the various arable farming markets and also focuses on the land and energy market.

aj.doorn@boerenbusiness. Nl

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