We managed to get the last of this years sugar beet drilled yesterday afternoon. I was thankful because the forecast for today was terrible (as it happened it didn't rain until mid afternoon) and it is long past the date when they should be in the ground. Indeed beet crops are said to loose 3t/ha every week that drilling is delayed beyond April 10th. And the longer growing season you can give them the higher the potential yield.
That said, those crops that were put in in February and early March are not looking too good by all accounts. The frost and snow over Easter were just what they didn't need and plant stands have been adversely affected - partly by the weather and partly by predators, like skylarks, pigeons and mice.
The worrying thing for British Sugar is that many growers vowed after last years poor yields and low prices that they would give the crop one more chance before deciding whether to stop growing. In other words, if they got a good yield this year (over 70t/ha was the implication) they might carry on. If not, they would take the EU compensation for not growing beet and change to oil seed rape or some other break crop.
Well, prospects already look less than rosy for this year because of late drilling problems and I suspect a lot of growers are thinking this might be their last crop of beet. Its a pity because most farmers enjoy growing them. But not when wheat and rape are so much easier and now more profitable.