IFA criticises EU sugar decision

The chairman of the IFA sugar beet section, Jim O’Regan is highly critical of the EU Commission for its decision on declassifying 1.806m tonnes of sugar quota for the 2005/06 marketing year.

“This move by the EU, which converts quota ‘A’ + ‘B’ sugar into ‘C’ sugar that must be disposed of on the world market without subsidy, has left farmers with substantial costs having grown their full quota allocation,” said the IFA chairman.

“This decision by the EU late in the beet growing season, leaves Irish beet growers with a cut of 7.12% on their sugar quota. It is unacceptable, at a time when beet growers’ incomes are facing wipe out.”