Other refiners the real enemy

FRENCH and German sugar companies are campaigning vigorously for much more draconian reform of the EU sugar regime than proposed, Greencore chief executive David Dilger has revealed.

He told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food that some of Irish Sugar's competitors want to concentrate processing in just four or five member states, with very large-scale production and lower raw material costs.

They expect to compensate for lower sugar prices by dominating the entire EU industry, said Mr Dilger. "They do not say it, but they want to see sugar production wiped out in 15 to 20 European countries".