“>
Photo: SuperAgronom.com
Drought, heat, and the spread of diseases may lead to the poorest sugar beet harvest in Southern Germany since the country’s reunification. As a result, 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), according to 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 is significant 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 usually well-watered.
The situation is further complicated by the spread of diseases such as SBR (Sugar Beet Rhizomania) and phytoplasma. According to the association, drought weakens the plants’ resistance to the pathogens of these diseases. Infected roots become rubbery, resulting in significantly less sugar being extracted during processing.
On average, beet-growing farms allocate 20–25% of their arable land to this crop. At the same time, economic pressure on producers remains high, as a difficult situation is also observed with the yields of other field crops.
The Association of Sugar Beet Growers of Southern Germany unites nearly 10,000 producers who cultivate beets on an area of about 100,000 hectares and supply raw materials to seven sugar factories.
Read also: Technology for protecting sugar beets according to European standards: experience of Ukrainian agrarians and advice from Europeans
Download
Olena Basanets, SuperAgronom.com
Be the first to know the latest agronomic news from Ukraine on our Facebook page, Telegram, and subscribe to SuperAgronom’s Instagram.