Beet growers face 39% price cuts

Ireland: Sugar beet growers could be facing the prospect of price cuts as high as 39% when the EU reform proposals are published in June.

A leaked internal draft of the proposals will send shockwaves through beet producers, according to Mairead McGuinness, Ireland East Fine Gael member of the European Parliament. Formal proposals are due to be published on June 22 by EU Farm Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel, with agreement among farm ministers targeted for November.

The EU has been under increased pressure to propose a package of reforms after the WTO found EU subsidies for sugar production to be illegal following complaints by Australia, Brazil and Thailand.