Brussels, 05/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - Areas planted with beet are said to be in decline, as are yields. Provisional European Commission figures unveiled on 3 September show EU sugar production as being down 7.6% in 2013/14.
The latest Commission estimates for the 2013/2014 harvesting year show an average fall of 2.4% of planted areas in the EU27 compared to 2012/2013, to 1.461 million hectares (ha). Such areas in Metropolitan France totalled 346,000 ha (+1.4%), Germany 341,300ha (-2.4%), Poland 185,600 ha (-3.5%), and the United Kingdom 104,300 ha (+0.6%).
Taking into account average yield over the past three years, reduced by 3% on the basis of information available, sugar production amounts to 17.172 million tonnes - i.e. a 7.64% decrease - including 4.296 Mt for France (compared with 4.381 Mt in 2012/2013); 3.499 Mt for Germany (compared with 4.014 Mt); 1.608 Mt for Poland (compared with 1.804 Mt); and 1.093 Mt for the United Kingdom (compared with 1.143 Mt).
Experts say the decline in the sowing of beet is linked to high carry forward stocks in Germany (402,000 tonnes) while, in Italy, the sowing of beet partially failed due to bad weather in the spring which resulted in a 25.6% reduction in surface areas to 39,000 ha.
Reduced yields were due to cold weather in the spring, dry conditions in certain areas, as well as flooding in some areas. (LC/transl.jl)