Sugar Beet

The British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO) has announced new and withdrawn varieties on the sugar beet list, bringing it to a total of 22 varieties for 2025.

Experts from Ceres Rural, British Sugar and De Sangosse discussed the prospects for sugar beet this season and recommendations for herbicide programmes in a webinar hosted by UPL.

British Sugar has committed to covering 75% of farmers’ diversion costs following a difficult harvest. 

British Sugar has just released new end dates for each of its factory sites, extending the deadline for farmers whose beet is still in the ground. 

Following the emergency approval granting sugar beet growers to use Cruiser SB for virus yellows control, the threshold for use has now been met. The prohibited neonicotinoid will be available for seed in the 2024/25 sugar beet campaign. 

With wet ground hampering the lifting of sugar beet throughout the 2023/24 campaign, and beet still in the ground, British Sugar has announced new expected end dates for each of its factory sites.

Effective early season weed control in sugar beet is essential, explains Adama UK herbicides technical specialist, Dr Bill Lankford – especially as an effective herbicide programme can deliver a 10–20% improvement in yield.

A governmental financial boost along with British Sugar’s own funding will ensure further research into how gene editing can be used to benefit the British sugar beet crop. 

Sugar beet farmers have been conditionally granted an emergency authorisation to use Cruiser SB to protect their beets against virus yellows.

Suffolk Highways came under criticism on social media after it referred to a large amount of sugar beet being ‘fly-tipped’ on a road in Ipswich. It’s thought a local farmer was forced to store the beet there due to waterlogged land following recent flooding.

British Sugar and NFU Sugar have agreed a deal after weeks of intense negotiations, with particular contention over the futures linked contract.

British Sugar’s Wissington factory opened its doors to press at the end of November, providing an update on this year’s campaign and work being done to tackle virus yellows and carbon emissions – as well as answering questions on next year’s beet contracts. Sarah Kidby reports.