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Drought, heat, and the spread of diseases may lead to the poorest sugar beet harvest in Southern Germany since the country’s reunification. Consequently, sugar production in the region is expected to be about a third lower than last year.
This was reported by the Association of Sugar Beet Growers of Southern Germany (Verband Süddeutscher Zuckerrübenanbauer), as per Welt.
According to the association’s executive director, Paul-Martin Pfeiffer, the current campaign could be the worst since 1990. The organization also warns that the reduction in sugar production in Germany could affect consumer prices, as similar issues are observed in other countries.
“France, the largest sugar beet producer in Europe, is also suffering from extreme heat and drought. This has significant implications for the market. If key growing regions weaken, we expect a corresponding reaction,” Pfeiffer noted.
In the height of summer, sugar beets continue to accumulate mass and sugar. However, due to prolonged drought in many regions, the plants have practically stopped growing. Signs of water stress are being recorded even in fields that are typically well-supplied with moisture.
Furthermore, the situation is complicated by the spread of diseases such as SBR (Sugar Beet Rhizomania) and phytoplasmosis. According to the association, drought weakens the plants’ resistance to the pathogens of these diseases. Infected root crops become rubbery, resulting in significantly less sugar being extracted during processing.
On average, farms growing beets allocate 20-25% of their arable land to this crop. At the same time, economic pressure on producers remains high, as the situation with the yield of other field crops is also challenging.
The Association of Sugar Beet Growers of Southern Germany unites nearly 10,000 producers who cultivate beets on approximately 100,000 hectares and supply raw materials to seven sugar factories.
Also read: Sugar beet protection technology according to European standards: experience of Ukrainian agrarians and advice from Europeans
AgroBusiness of Ukraine 2024/2025
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Olena Basanets, SuperAgronom.com
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