Waterlogging sees sugar beet finally lifted in May
Waterlogging sees sugar beet finally lifted in May
By Andrew Blake
WHO says sugar beet is a short season crop? Thats what Worcs grower Roy Neath wants to know after lifting the last of his crop on May 8. It was sown on Feb 20 last year.
The bulk of his 14ha (35 acres) of sugar beet at Church Farm, Abberley, was harvested for the Kidderminster factory well before Christmas.
"We just about completed our quota. But we never managed to get near the last six acres. We are on quite heavy soil here and it was simply waterlogged."
Despite being frosted several times the balance of the 2000 crop, Jackpot destined for stockfeed, was eventually harvested by Bewdley-based contractor Nick Walley only 10 days ago – three weeks after this years crop was sown.
"It was easy to lift because we waited until it was dry. Conditions were perfect," says Mr Neath. "The frost took off all the leaves, but they re-grew quite a bit."
At an estimated 62-69t/ha (25-28t/acre), the spring lifting outyielded his main crop.
"It carried on growing well. We got about 23t/acre from the rest of the crop – we tend to start digging quite early."
At £14/t the stockfeed crop is unlikely to cover costs, but was better harvested than left. "It had to be dug or disced and ploughed, otherwise it would have seeded and we would have had a mess.
"Its not a disaster story. I only wish I had been able to get it three weeks earlier, before the grass started growing, when it would have been worth quite a bit more." *
MAYBEETHARVEST
• Crop sown Feb 20, 2000.
• Waterlogging delayed harvest.
• Frosted several times and regrown.
• Stockfeed yield up on main crop.
Better late than never… Nick Walley gets to grips with the last of Roy Neaths 2000 sugar beet crop in Worcs on May 8.