Sugar proposal ‘threat to jobs’

MORE than 1,000 jobs and the livelihoods of 3,800 beet growers are under threat from the proposed reform of Europe’s sugar industry, Trade and Commerce Minister Michael Ahern warned yesterday.

The proposals provide for a 25% beet price cut in 2005 and 2006 and a 37% cut in 2007, along with a European quota reduction of 2.8m tonnes or 16% over four years.

Europe’s 332,000 beet growers are opposing the sweeping EU Commission reforms, although they include a proposal to pay them compensation.