The Bury St Edmunds site was the first of four British Sugar factories to open its doors in early September, announcing the beginning of the 2023/2024 sugar beet campaign. The Newark site was soon to follow a week later on 11th September, with British Sugar’s largest site of all in Wissington opening on 21st September. British Sugar is now firing on all cylinders, having just opened its fourth site on 9th October.

Farmers Guide took the opportunity to see the first deliveries of the campaign up close, having been kindly invited on site by Andy Simms, general site manager of British Sugar at the Bury St Edmunds site.

Ambient temperatures for sugar beet

Alongside a tour of the site, Andy spoke to us about how early operations at the Bury St Edmunds factory were fairing.

“Most of the kit onsite hasn’t run since February. We are getting it going and finding leaks so there are challenges with that, but we’ve had a safe and reliable start-up.”

Early September clung onto the high summer temperatures of late August, which created testing conditions for Andy’s team.

“Our biggest challenge has been the ambient temperatures; it’s really warm in the sugar factory. For our colleagues inside on a day of 30 degrees, it’s very warm work. It’s a lovely temperature for sugar beet, for sugar content. When the temperatures start to drop, it gets easier for our colleagues inside the factory.”

A net energy exporter

The Bury St Edmunds site is vast, and requires lots of staffing throughout the sugar-making process.

“Across the pre-silo operation, where we make the sugar, and the post silo operation, where we package the sugar up for our customers, we have 330 British Sugar colleagues plus contractors,” Andy explains. “We have 500 deliveries arriving on site today, which is about 14,000 tonnes of sugar beet.”

Such a large site also requires a great deal of electrical and steam power in order to operate each day. Andy explained that the on-site power plant is in fact a net-exporter of energy.

“We take natural gas and convert it into electricity in a combining power plant. This is exported to the National Grid and also produces the steam and electricity requirements of the site.”

The outlook is bright for great sugar content

Commenting on the expectations regarding sugar content for the early sugar beet harvest, Andy said: “The weather certainly helps. Sugar beet likes the sunshine; the crop is adept at turning the sun’s radiation into sucrose. Days like this really help the sugar content.

“Mother Nature will determine the average overall but so far we are predicting the sugar content to be about average for the last five years.”

Wishing growers a safe campaign

It was clear that safety is the primary concern for Andy and his team, reflected in his parting message: “We wish all our growers, our hauliers and our industrial and agricultural partners a safe campaign.”

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British Sugar has announced a guaranteed minimum sugar beet price of £37.50 per tonne for 2024/25.

Whilst sugar prices are currently high, so far, few sales contracts have been agreed for October 2024 to September 2025, when spring-planted beet will be sold as sugar.

With the market very volatile, British Sugar has designed a ‘market-linked bonus’, which can be paid when pricing is agreed and there is a reasonable crop.

If sugar markets in 2024/25 are the same as today, the company has said it will give growers a top-up, taking the overall price of the beet crop to above £40 a tonne.

Growers can also ensure a minimum guaranteed income through opting for British Sugar’s yield protection product, and it offers a futures-linked contract for those who want more pricing risk.

British Sugar increased the beet price by 48% to £40/tonne for 2023/24 and offered a yield protection product to help growers manage the risks in their business.

This was introduced to ensure a fair price for beet growers, in light of sharp increases in agricultural costs and competitor crops offering attractive margins relative to beet.

Since the beet price was set last year, British Sugar says total grower input costs have reduced, including fertiliser by 50%. Prices of other crops have fallen, with the wheat price reducing by 30%, and OSR by 35%.

A statement sent to growers today (25^th September) by British Sugar reads: ‘Despite these changes we are keeping our fixed price element as high as we can for 2024/25 because we want beet to remain a financially attractive part of your rotation, encouraging you to invest in beet for the future.

‘For 2024/25 we are aiming to offer you a fair deal that, like this year, builds a good margin for you as well as sharing any sugar market upside we may see. So far, we have not been able to agree a deal with NFU Sugar, but we wanted you to know that our current offer to them guarantees that the minimum price you will receive for beet will be £37.50 a tonne.’

British Sugar is working with NFU Sugar to agree an offer to present jointly to growers.

For further information you can contact your British Sugar account manager or the farm support team on freephone 0800 090 2376.

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Germains Seed Technology has unveiled an innovative sugar beet seed treatment, Xbeet enrich 300.

It has been proven to deliver consistent yield increases of 1.8% – equivalent to 1.35 tonnes per hectare for a 75t/ha grower – compared to Xbeet enrich 200.

“Xbeet enrich 300 seed treatment features an optimised primer that kickstarts germination, combined with a tailored nutrient package designed to nurture seedling development,” explains lead scientist, Jordan Long.

“This unique blend equips crops with the essential resources right from the start, promoting robust and resilient growth.”

Specifically designed to thrive in UK conditions, it has proven to accelerate crop establishment, increase plant populations, and enhance yields when compared to its predecessor, Germains says.

Rigorous trials conducted over three years by accredited ORETO trial teams repeatedly highlighted its advantages, and commercial UK growers have verified its performance and safety through field-scale evaluations.

Jordan adds: “Research into Xbeet enrich 300 started eight years ago. Following on from the laboratory work, small plot trials were carried out over three years. Encompassing different seedlots and diverse locations across the growing area helped demonstrate its efficacy over the wide range of varieties and conditions we experience here in the UK.

“More recent work with growers, proved those results are replicated in commercial situations.”

For further information on Xbeet enrich 300 visit https://germains.com/product/xbeet-enrich300/ 

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Opening dates announced

The first of British Sugar’s four factories to open for deliveries is in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, on Monday 4th September.

Following this, the site at Newark in Nottingham will open on the 11th September, and British Sugar’s largest sugar processing site at Wissington, Norfolk, will open on 21st September.

The final factory to open its doors for deliveries is in Cantley, Norwich, which will accept sugar beet from the 9th October.

British Sugar agriculture director Dan Green had this to say about the opening of the sugar beet harvest, “We look forward to working with growers, harvesters and hauliers over the 2023/24 season, and wish everyone across the British beet sugar industry all the best for a safe and successful campaign.”

Sugar beet growers, hauliers and industry partners have been advised of beet intake times at the factories by email and via the online portal, My British Sugar.

Beet price agreed for 2023/24 sugar beet contract

In June 2023, NFU Sugar and British Sugar announced a beet price of £40 per tonne for the 2023/24 sugar beet contract year, which represents a 48% price increase on last year.

The offer also includes several new options for growers to consider as part of the contract:

• Growers have the choice to purchase a yield guarantee product that protects income against yield losses.
• A ‘futures-linked’ variable price contract for the 2023/24 crop which enables growers to make more dynamic pricing decisions for up to 20% of their contracts.
• Growers within 20 miles of any British Sugar factory will receive a local premium of up to £2, based on distance to the factory.
• Revised multi-year prices – all growers with an existing 2023 commitment will automatically receive an upgrade to £32/t, from £25/t. Growers can upgrade this further to £40/t if they commit to grow sugar beet in 2024.
• The option of a cash advance.

NFU Sugar board chair Michael Sly said: “With growers facing significant cost increases, and the prices of alternative crops having risen to unprecedented levels, I am glad we agreed on a contract offer that should keep sugar beet as a valued part of growers’ rotations. I am hopeful this deal gives the opportunity for re-investment into the sugar beet sector and provides confidence for the future.”

Commenting on the new contract, Paul Kenward, managing director, British Sugar, said: “I am very positive about the future for everyone within this fantastic homegrown industry. With UK customers keen to buy from British Sugar, we are really well-placed to partner with growers for the long-term, and I am certain this contract will encourage further investment going forward. We have four well-invested factories, a great product and an exciting story to share. Our growers are a key part of our business and I hope that this offer provides an incentive for them to continue growing next season and beyond.”

Get in touch

We expect to see much activity for those growing sugar beet during the coming weeks as British Sugar continues to open its doors. If you are currently harvesting sugar beet, or on the way to delivering your beet to a factory we’d love to speak with you. Please email editor@farmersguide.co.uk.

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The British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO) has laid out yellow water traps at its 12 trial sites and is monitoring aphids and beneficial insects at a further 34 locations across the sugar beet growing area.

The organisation’s head of science Dr Mark Stevens says winged aphids are appearing at all trials sites and numbers of wingless aphids which transmit yield-damaging beet poleroviruses are on the rise.

While crops drilled with Cruiser SB (thiamethoxam) should be protected from wingless aphid activity during that time, he warns sugar beat that doesn’t have that protection will be under pressure over the next few weeks as temperatures rise and aphid numbers continue to build.

According to Dr Stevens, aphid pressure is a particular concern this spring because much of the crop is behind where it should be at this time of year. This increases the risk of yield penalty at harvest, which is greatest when the crop is infected early in its development.

To minimise the risk of yield penalties, he recommends treating non-Cruiser crops with a foliar insecticide as soon as the spray threshold of 1 green wingless aphid per 4 plants up to 12 true leaves is met. However, he added it can be difficult to decide which product to use first.

“As BBRO monitoring suggests beneficial insect numbers are generally low, it is potentially better to go with InSyst (acetamiprid) first for rapid knockdown of aphids in small, vulnerable crops,” he says.

Growers can then follow up with Teppeki (flonicamid) if aphid numbers breach the threshold again. This will provide a period of systemic protection against aphids without extensive damage to beneficials, allowing then to assist with pest control for the rest of the growing season.

BBRO has also applied for access to a third insecticide active substance, spirotetramat, and hopes to obtain emergency authorisation in time for use in June.

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The Met Office reported that the UK sugar beet growing area experienced 200% of its average rainfall in March and above-average rainfall in April. This left land destined for sugar beet saturated, with insufficient gaps between the rain for it to dry out. BBRO estimates that 70% of the UK sugar beet crop was drilled up to the 25th of April, with only the heaviest soils still to be drilled. Very little was drilled in March, leaving the bulk of the UK crop being drilled up to a month later than average.

Drilling delay for farmers

Cambridgeshire-based farmer and contractor Tom Jackson of W.R. Jackson & Son did not begin drilling his sugar beet until late April. “As soon as we felt the land was finally ready, we drilled 600ac of sugar beet in 6 days,” says Tom. “Overall, the seed beds were fantastic, and we have had good establishment. One advantage of drilling later is that emergence is much quicker because of the warmer soil temperatures. 80% of it is up now, with the first true leaves emerging on some. However, we have lost a month, so the crop may never quite compensate.”

Tom manages a typical mixture of soil types on the edge of the fens. He has a combination of heavy clay and deep organic soils across his farms. The heavier soils can take a long time to dry out in the spring; cultivating them too early can result in a very uneven seedbed and smearing in the row with the drill. The organic soils are much more friable, and the surface is quicker to dry out, but wet holes can quickly reveal themselves, and Tom has learned to treat them with respect. “We have had to be very patient. I kept digging holes in the fields but felt it was not quite ready earlier in April; there was no sense in pushing it.

“We have not yet put a herbicide on. The priority will be a graminicide on the cover crops sown on the black land as they are now getting quite big. Our sprayer has been busy catching up with wheat T1s, and winter barley T2s will be next on the list. I expect we will make fewer herbicide applications this year because of the later drilling. We will start as soon as the weeds are ready,” adds Tom.

Advice for weed control

Antonia Walker, sugar beet technical specialist

Antonia Walker, UPL’s sugar beet technical specialist, believes that warming soil temperatures and sunnier days will soon see grass and broad-leaved weeds emerging quickly. Not only has the weather disrupted drilling, but it also means that decent spray days are few and far between, meaning early weed control will be challenging. “Where possible, I would recommend a pre-emergence herbicide of Bettix Flo (metamitron) and Oblix 500 (ethofumesate)” advises Antonia. “This will give some flexibility on timing for follow-up post-emergence herbicides.”

Antonia believes programmes should be built around the three key actives for post-emergence broad-leaved weed control: ethofumesate, metamitron and phenmedipham. “Rates can be adjusted to reflect the size species of the weeds present. This will be especially important with the later drilled crops and disrupted spray programmes this spring. The BRRO offers excellent guidance on the relative efficacy of each active against common broad-leaved weeds in their 2023 sugar beet reference book. We have found this approach to deliver the most cost-effective herbicide programme for sugar beet.”

Farmers planning to use Centurion Max (clethodim) for post-emergence grass weed control are urged to consult the stewardship guidelines before applying it. In particular, they should observe the no-spray period and not apply any herbicide five days before or 14 days after application. More details can be found on UPL’s website.

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The decision has been welcomed by British Sugar, which applied for the emergency authorisation, should it be required, subject to the outcome of the Rothamstead Virus Yellows model on 1st March 2023.

Emerging sugar beet seedlings are vulnerable to predation from aphids with the potential to spread beet yellows virus, severely impacting yield and quality.

In 2020, 25% of the national sugar beet crop was lost, equating to economic losses of £67 million.

Application of a neonicotinoid seed treatment will only be permitted if independent modelling predicts a virus incidence of 63% or above. If the virus threshold is not met, then the neonicotinoid treated seed will not be used.

If the threshold is met, further strict conditions will apply to minimise risks to the environment. This includes a maximum number of seeds planted per hectare and restrictions on farmers planting flowering crops in subsequent years in any field where treated seed has been used, which allows time for the chemical to break down.

Farming minister Mark Spencer said the decision “has not been taken lightly and is based on extensive and rigorous scientific assessment”.

Emergency authorisations for pesticides are granted for a short time period only, in situations where there is a danger that cannot be controlled by other reasonable means. Their use is limited and controlled.

The overall ban on the use of neonicotinoids remains in place.

Mr Spencer said: “We recognise the potential danger of an outbreak of the beet yellows virus on the nation’s sugar beet crop and the impact it could have on the production of UK sugar. Therefore, after careful consideration, we regard issuing an emergency authorisation as a necessary measure to protect the industry.”

British Sugar said in a statement: ‘We welcome Defra’s decision to approve our joint application for the emergency usage of a neonicotinoid seed treatment in 2023, should it be required, subject to the outcome of the Rothamstead Virus Yellows model, which will be known on 1st March 2023.

‘We are currently reviewing all associated documentation and waiting for the stewardship conditions associated with this authorisation. Once digested, we will comment further in the coming days.’

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Quantis protected beet leaves.

Earlier this month sugar beet growers in the eastern counties were already reporting that crops were really struggling, particularly on hot days. Crops on light land were lying flat, with warnings of the impact on yield potential and, as has been experienced in such conditions in the past, complete loss of leaf.

Drought stressed beet leaves.

Now, results of replicated trials in a beet crop in South Yorkshire have shown visible physical benefits of reduced wilting and improved leaf vigour from a Quantis application, along with definitive physiological effects on plant responses to heat.

Syngenta technical manager Andy Cunningham, reported the split-field crop was treated with Quantis on 15^th July, three days ahead of a key heat stress event when temperatures were forecast to exceed 25⁰C.

“The Quantis Heat Stress Event website tool gave advance warning of the potential threat, which saw temperatures hit over 25⁰C for five consecutive days,” he said. “Assessed four days after treatment, the untreated crop was suffering and visibly wilting quite significantly.

“However, the crop was noticeably less wilted where Quantis had been applied at 2.0 litres/ha.”

Assessed for leaf vigour during the peak of the heatwave, four days after Quantis application, the treated leaves were over 30% better, at 88.8% compared to 67.5% in the untreated. Even when the heat subsided and the crop reassessed on 22 July, the treated leaf vigour was still over 8% greater.

“Under hot conditions, transpiration results in excessive water loss, where cell dehydration leads to leaf wilting,” pointed out Mr Cunningham. “The potassium content in Quantis acts as an osmo-protectant, where the K+ ions enable the cells to be more hypertonic and retain water more effectively.”

FluorPen use in sugar beet trial.

Research at the University of Nottingham has also shown the calcium content can upregulate a plant’s natural anti-oxidant levels, which enables it to better deal with increased production of reactive oxidative species (ROS) that can damage cells and photosynthetic capability, he added.

“Furthermore, when we measured photosynthetic activity in the Yorkshire sugar beet trial, using a Fluorpen, it was clear that the plants were continuing to perform more effectively and better able to utilise the available light, compared to the untreated.”

A measure of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) – indicating plants are releasing energy as heat, rather than converting into sugar and yield – showed the treated beet was operating 12% better than untreated during the peak of the heatwave, which continued after the highest temperatures had eased.

“When assessed for quantum yield (QY), as a measure of conversion of sunlight through to photosynthesis, the treated plants measured an average 0.66, compared to 0.39 in the untreated – an improvement of 70%.

“Where we have studied these Quantis effects in other crops, the measured physiological effects have resulted in consistent increases in yield and root size,” he reported.

The Yorkshire field trial will continue to be protected through further heat stress events with Quantis, then taken through to final yield and sugar analysis at the end of the season.

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