Beet growers face ‘wipe-out’ if import tariffs cut at talks

THE EU is braced for an all-out attack on its sugar beet industry at next month’s WTO talks in Mexico.

The fallout from the likely offensive by major exporting countries such as Brazil, Australia and Thailand could be serious for Ireland, the Government was warned yesterday. About 3,700 farmers supply the Irish Sugar plants in Carlow and Mallow with about 1.3 million tonnes of beet, grown on about 80,000 acres. It was worth about 62 million to farmers last year.

In addition, Irish Sugar has 450 permanent staff with a further 200 temporary employees for the beet processing campaign, which will begin shortly.