Sugar Beet Campaign starts after challenging growing season
Following a challenging growing season, the sugar beet campaign started today, with the first sugar beets being processed in our factories in Dinteloord and Hoogkerk. At our German facility in Anklam the campaign started a little earlier on 11 September.
Due to wet weather conditions, sowing took much longer this year in some regions, extending from the usual three weeks to over three months. As a result, regional variations this year have been more pronounced than in the past two decades. While some growers successfully cultivated healthy crops, others experienced significant structural damage.
Expected yield
This has led to a predicted average beet yield of 79 tonnes per hectare, which is lower than the five-year average of 85 tonnes. Based on the sugar content of recent years, the 7.1 million tonnes of beets are likely to yield 13 tonnes of sugar per hectare. Consequently, the campaign is expected to be shorter, spanning 127 days compared to last year's 138.
Sugar yield 7% below average
Paul Mesters, CEO of Cosun Beet Company, "This year, the acreage was 5% larger compared to 2023, raising expectations for a higher yield. However, poor weather conditions have resulted in lower outcomes. A sugar yield of 13 tonnes is 7% lower than the long-term average. As an experienced cooperative, we are accustomed to dealing with such fluctuations. Our organisation has been building a future-proof business for 125 years for us, our growers and our customers. They can count on timely delivery again this year. And that will continue, as we work hard together on sustainable innovations to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
Future-proof cultivation
As part of this effort, we focus on innovations concerning soil and plant health, as well as climate & energy. Other initiatives, such as our inspiration farms, are providing growers with practical, sustainable farming solutions and helping them address broader societal challenges.
Sustainable factories and transportation
In recent decades, our factories have achieved major efficiency improvements and implemented extensive sustainability measures. This year, our aims include achieving further energy savings and electrifying both our factories and transport operations wherever possible. For example, an electric shuttle truck will be deployed between our facilities in Roosendaal and Puttershoek, electrifying approximately 6,000 km of transport per month. Our ultimate goal is to reduce CO2 emissions by 50% by 2030, compared to 2018 levels.