Cambs grower quits sugar beet as no longer worth the gamble

David Wheatley © David Wheatley

Cambridgeshire farmer David Wheatley has decided to stop growing sugar beet, as contract prices mean it is no longer viable.

“On paper, the pricing looks OK and farmers can budget accordingly, but there are so many other variables.

“Volatile global sugar markets and rising fertiliser and diesel prices make it too much of a gamble to sign a contract 12 months in advance,” he says.

“Each year we seem to face different issues growing the crop – whether it’s too wet, too dry, or frost causes problems.

“In a wet year, the sugar percentages are low, which results in penalties, and in a dry year yields are down so we are compromised that way too. That’s not to mention aphid attacks, virus yellows, and the new beet moth pest which has caused issues,” he says.

See also: Grower reaction to underwhelming sugar beet price offer

“If we had ideal conditions, the contract pricing would certainly be doable. However, I’ve been growing sugar beet for 30 years and, in recent years, there always seems to be something. It’s just no longer worth the risk.”

What to grow instead?

The difficult question is if growers like David drop sugar beet from the rotation, what alternative crop can be grown?

Previously, David would grow 35-40ha of sugar beet; now, he is focusing his efforts on selling crops directly to customers to reap better rewards.

This initiative started with selling fresh peonies direct to the public, and using social media platforms to sell other farmers’ produce to consumers. He is now looking to mill his own wheat flour to sell direct.

“I’ve got increasing demand from customers who want low-input, regenerative produce, so I am looking to grow more crops like this,” he says.