Record Beet Yield

The 2014 beet crop resulted in the highest ever average yield.  Final results for last year (2014-15 campaign) show that total yield was 9.3m adjusted tonnes.  This gives an average adjusted yield of 79.84 tonnes per hectare.  This beats the previous record average yield seen in 2011 of 75.61 tonnes by an impressive 5.5%.  The high output was largely a result of ‘goldilocks’ conditions during the growing season – not too hot, not too cold; not too dry, not too wet; and plenty of sunshine.   This high output comes at a inconvenient time for British Sugar.  Sugar prices are low and it is struggling to shift its stocks.  As outlined in the September Bulletin, there is to be a 20% cut in CTE this year with the aim of bringing supply and demand more into balance.  Another year of high yields could see these cuts continue into the 2016 growing year.