(Farmers Guardian) – The NFU has admitted some beet growers are considering alternative crops as contract negotiations continue with British Sugar.
Meetings were held on Thursday (July 25) and this morning (Monday) to give growers an opportunity to share their views on the situation with British Sugar over next year’s contract.
Ruth Digby, sugar adviser at the NFU, said: “I think what we are seeing is that previously people highly valued having sugar beet contract. Growers were passionate about keeping a contract.”
She said growers were now more interested in the beet price itself, and alternatives to beet.
“There is a lot of people looking at alternatives and the value of beet in a rotation. There isn’t the attachment to the crop there was before.”
But the NFU said it was confident the majority of growers would plant next year. It claimed it is negotiating on behalf of 5 million tonnes worth of beet as most growers rejected British Sugar’s offer of £30.67 sent without the NFU’s consent.
The deadline to accept that offer is the end of July, but with the majority of growers backing the NFU, Ms Digby said the union was confident of agreeing a resolution with British Sugar soon.
She said: “We have got clear messages that people are not signing until there is agreement with the NFU.
“From what we are seeing from growers we would expect to see some discussion in the coming weeks.
“We are confident there will be a solution to this. British Sugar all want crops to be grown.”
