Sugar beet yields have shown huge variability so far this autumn, as the full effects of the dry April and wet summer become evident, according to British Sugar.

Around 45% of the crop had been harvested by Tuesday (6 November) and yields ranged from 45t/ha to over 70t/ha, BS’s Robin Limb said. “Our advice earlier in the season was to harvest the poorest crops first, so hopefully the good beet is still to come. We are seeing huge variability in yields, but I still expect to see the season’s average in line with the five-year average of 58t/ha.”

In contrast to yields, sugar contents were pleasing at an average of 17.86% last week, 1% higher than the same time last year, he added. “I expect sugars will remain at or around that level for the next month or so.”

Yields had been variable so far for south Lincolnshire-based contractor Richard Ivatt. The poorest crops averaged about 24 adjusted tonnes/ha (10t/acre), while the best did over 74t/ha (30t/acre).

“We had a good run early on when we could hardly keep up with hauliers, but now British Sugar’s slowed us down by knocking loads off hauliers’ allocations,” he said.

Spuds yields down

Average potato yields are likely to be below par this season, although variability has again been a key feature, according to the British Potato Council. “It’s been a very difficult and varied season – we’ve seen some terrific losses due to flooding,” said the BPC’s Rob Burrow.

“A few yields have been down to single figures, while some crops have done over 75t/ha – particularly in Scotland. Overall we’re expecting yields to be below last year’s average of 43.4t/ha.”

The dry autumn had helped reduce pressure from some blight and rot problems, although wastage – due to greening, cracking and bruising – was still high at anywhere between 10 and 50%, he said.

But, Norfolk grower Paul Wortley finished lifting 450ha of Maris Peer, Estima and Cara potatoes at the end of October and was fairly happy with yields and quality. “We had some nice harvest conditions towards the end of October. Blight was the main threat as the spray interval got stretched to a fortnight in some fields. Generally though, we managed to keep it at bay.

“Yields are fairly close to normal, but they haven’t hit the high of last year.”